


Rathma

by ThatOnePsycho



Category: Diablo (Video Game), Diablo III, RWBY
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-03-02 19:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13325352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOnePsycho/pseuds/ThatOnePsycho
Summary: There was, Trag'Oul realized, no real choice. He had been so focused on Sanctuary that the Balance of Remnant had almost been destroyed. And all he had to fix that was one little girl, eager to learn the arts of Linarian and Mendeln. Anu forgive him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this fic is testament to two things. How my writing has improved over the last (whenever I get around to finishing chapter four) eleven months, and how Blake somehow always manages to sneak her way into the plot of my fics.

Ruby looked around, confused.

 

 

Where was she? Her dad had sent her to take a nap, and now she was standing in a black void.

 

 

“Hello?”

 

 

Nothing.

 

 

Walking along, the four year old looked around, listening for anything.

 

 

Still nothing.

 

 

Ruby wasn't sure how long she was walking, but had started to get more than a little tired, and scared, before she came across something.

 

 

Or rather, something came across her.

 

 

The winged creature came from behind her, flew over her head, and landed in front of her. The little girl inclined her head, looking at the giant creature.

 

 

It was like someone had taken a connect the dots of a snake, and attached a pair of wings to it.

 

 

As Ruby stared into the closest ball of light, she saw flashes of images.

 

 

_A boy and two girls, in the burning remains of a village._

_A man, desperately trying to comfort a bawling blond baby, before a woman took her from him._

_The same couple, the woman was in a hospital bed, gently holding a newborn. Silver eyes spread, staring sleepily._

 

 

“How did you get here, little nephalem?”

 

 

Ruby looked up, and the creature looked down.

 

 

“Hi?”

 

 

If snakes could smile, Ruby was sure it was.

 

 

“Hello. Now, how did you get here? I certainly didn't invite you.”

 

 

“I- I dunno. Where is here?”

 

 

“This is my home, are you lost?”

 

 

“I think so,” Ruby felt tears prickle the the corner of her eyes, “I wanna go home.”

 

 

“I do not blame you. How old are you, little nephalem?”

 

 

“Five and eight months,” Ruby smiled, puffing out her chest despite herself.

 

 

“A respectable age,” the creature nodded seriously.

 

 

“Respectable? What's that mean?”

 

 

“It means that it should be taken seriously.”

 

 

Ruby looked up at the creature, “are you making fun of me?”

 

 

It smiled, “A little bit, yes.”

 

 

Ruby puffed out her cheeks, scowling, “Why?”

 

 

“Well,” He, Ruby was sure he was a he, “you are not scared anymore, right?”

 

 

“...I still want to go home.”

 

 

“I do not doubt it,” he said, “I would gladly help you find your way, if I knew where you came from.”

 

 

Ruby felt tears well up again, and desperately rubbed them. Yang would laugh at her if she found out Ruby had been crying.

 

 

“Do not worry, little nephalem. I might not know the way at the moment, but I am sure I can find it quickly. Would you like to talk while I do so? I have not spoken to anyone in a long time.”

 

 

“Ok, Mr…?”

 

 

“Trag'Oul. Just Trag'Oul.”

 

 

“Ok! What are you?”

 

 

“I am a dragon, little nephalem.”

 

 

Ruby puffed out her cheeks again, “My name is Ruby!”

 

 

“I’m sorry, I didn't know that.”

 

 

“It’s ok! What do you do here?”

 

 

“I maintain the Balance, or try to at least.”

 

 

“The Balance,” Ruby cocked her head to the side, “like a tightrope?”

 

 

Ruby had watched someone walk on one at a circus a couple of months back for Yang’s eighth birthday.

 

 

Trag'Oul released a deep rumbling sound, and Ruby was afraid she had made him angry, before realizing he was laughing.

 

 

“I have never heard of it described like that, but I suppose you could look at it that way. The Balance is between Chaos and Order, too much in one direction, and everything burns, too much in the other, and everything stagnates.”

 

 

“Wuh?”

 

 

“It stops.”

 

 

“Oh. Do you need help?”

 

 

Trag'Oul looked at her, “Why do you think that?”

 

 

“It sounds like a big job, and Dad always says I should help with big jobs.”

 

 

Trag'Oul laughed again, “I think this is bigger than what they mean.”

 

 

“Well, that just means you need more help!”

 

 

Trag'Oul stopped, thinking, “I suppose it would be nice to have some help,” one of the balls of light descended, touching her chest, “I will meet you back here tomorrow?”

 

 

“Ok!”

 

 

\----

 

 

Tai watched Ruby play with her friends at her birthday party. The newly six year old was running around, dodging Aileen’s attempted to tag her.

 

 

Qrow walked out from the house, holding a parcel.

 

 

“What’s that?”

 

 

“It just came, says it’s for Ruby.”

 

 

“From who?”

 

 

“It doesn't say. Should we let her open it now?”

 

 

Tai looked at it out of the corner of his eye. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a regular package, but he would admit it was strange that it didn't say where it came from.

 

 

“Sure. One present won’t hurt anyone.”

 

 

“Ruby, a package arrived for you!”

 

 

Ruby looked over, dancing away from Aileen on nimble feet. Tai couldn't help the proud smile that made his way onto her face. She was a natural.

 

 

Ruby made her way over to them, and Qrow crouched down, handing her the package.

 

 

Ruby carefully undid the twine holding it together, and the simple brown paper gave way.

 

 

Inside was a neatly folded pile of fabric, with an envelope sitting on top.

 

 

Tai gently took the envelope from her, opening it and reading the contents aloud for his family to hear.

 

 

“‘Ruby,

 

 

These used to belong to two friends of mine, but they no longer need them. Since you were talking about how much you liked your mother’s cloak, I thought you might like it.

 

 

I have something to deal with, so I won't be around for a bit. Keep up your training, Rathma.

 

 

Kalan.’ Ruby what does- that’s a knife!”

 

 

Indeed, the first item was a large cloak. Much too large, Tai noticed briefly, for a girl Ruby’s age. The second was a long curved knife, chalk white.

 

 

Tai saw Ruby reach out to grab it, and moved to stop her, “Ruby, that isn't a toy-”

 

 

Tai stopped, staring as Ruby wrapped her hand around the dagger. While it was also too big for her, there was no denying that Ruby was holding it properly. Hand wrapped around the hilt tightly enough to have a firm grip on it, but not so tight as to be uncomfortable.

 

 

“Ruby, where did you learn to hold a knife like that?”

 

 

Ruby smiled, apparently unconcerned with the blade in her hand, “Kalan taught me!”

 

 

Tai frowned, looking at the note, “Who is Kalan?”

 

 

Already, Tai was forming plans to pay this ‘Kalan’ a visit with Qrow. Ruby was a little girl, she shouldn't know how to use knives!

 

 

“He’s my teacher!”

 

 

“And what has he been teaching you?”

 

 

“To fight.”

 

 

Tai shared a look with Qrow over Ruby’s head.

 

 

“Why are you learning to fight?”

 

 

“I want to be a Huntress.”

 

 

“That’s a very dangerous job, you could be lots of other things.”

 

 

Ruby face pulled into a expression all too serious for a girl her age, “I want to be a Huntress.”

 

 

Tai stopped at the conviction in his daughter’s voice. Even  _he_  hadn't been that sure about his chosen profession.

 

 

“And why is that?”

 

 

“I want to protect people, and maintain the Balance.”

 

 

Tai shared another look with Qrow, “and what is the Balance?”

 

 

“‘If chaos rules, worlds burn. If order rules, they stagnate. If either finds such a foothold that the other cannot right, Remnant will destroy itself,’” Ruby recited, like she had memorized it every day.

 

 

Tai curled a hand into a fist, hiding the sparks gathering. Oh, when he found this ‘Kalan’ guy…

 

 

“And what about the people who get hurt because of the it? There are bad people out there, Rosebud.”

 

 

“‘There is a difference between Chaos and Order, and Good and Evil. Good should always outway Evil, but never obliterate it completely, lest Good turn on itself.’”

 

 

“Ruby, I don't want you to meet with Kalan anymore.”

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“These aren't the type of things someone your age should be worrying about-”

 

 

“I asked him to let me help!”

 

 

“And he should have said no. Give me that knife.”

 

 

Ruby backed up, holding the knife in both hands, wrapping the bundle of cloth around it, “No!”

 

 

Tai walked forward gently, stretching out his hand, “Ruby,” he took a harder tone of voice, “Hand over the knife.”

 

 

Ruby backed up more, eyes wide as she shook her head.

 

 

As Tai reached down to take the knife, Ruby made a sharp gesture with her hand.

 

 

Tai snapped his hand back to dodge the spikes of bone that rose around him, staring at Ruby through them.

 

 

What the- was this Ruby’s Semblance? Had Kalan unlocked her Aura? What kind of Semblance caused bones to grow from the ground, and what did it say about his daughter?

 

 

Qrow reached down behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder, before something else happened.

 

 

The cloak in Ruby’s hand lept from it, moving up her arm like a shadow, and wrapped around Qrow’s throat like a noose.

 

 

It only took a second for Qrow to remove it, but in the moment he did, a whirlwind of bones batted Qrow’s hand away, and she took off.

 

 

Ducking under Yang’s grasp, Ruby ran towards the backwoods, and the cloak rapidly followed her.

 

 

“Ruby! Wait-”

 

 

Ruby disappeared suddenly, the treeline not even have covered her whole body when she ceased to be.

 

 

Tai stared for a second as the bones crumbled, before rushing to look for his younger daughter.

 

 

\---

 

 

Ruby ran through the black void, hot tears running down her face. She was trying to put as much space, or what passed for it here, in between herself and her family.

 

 

“Kalan! Where are you!”

 

 

A strangled sob escaped Ruby lips, and she pulled the cloak tighter around herself. She tightened her grip on the bone knife, until her skin was the same shade as the catalyst.

 

 

Didn't her dad understand? She was learning to help people! Trag'Oul couldn't help, but she could for him!

 

 

Ruby sobbed again, pulling herself into a ball.

 

 

She couldn't go home, there was no way her dad would understand. She had seen the look in her dad’s eyes when she had created the bone prison, he was afraid.

 

 

Trag'Oul had told her about the last time he had people to help him, how the Priests of Rathma had lived in underground cities away from people who didn't trust them.

 

 

“Kalan! Please, I need you!”

 

 

Ruby stared into the void, but the celestial body of Trag'Oul didn't appear.

 

 

Ruby broke down completely, sobbing into the black cloak. It wrapped around her like a hug, and Ruby felt like something was watching over her. Closing her eyes, she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

 

 

\---

 

 

Trag'Oul returned from the conclave, glad to finally be away from his brothers, but with more questions than answers.

 

 

It was agreed, there had never been a case of a mortal accidentally stumbling into a Guardian’s realm, but somehow, Ruby had.

 

 

Trag'Oul took no pride in what he was doing, indoctrinating a young girl to uphold the Balance, but was equally aware he had no choice.

 

 

He couldn't directly manifest on Remnant anymore than he could do so on Sanctuary, lest he draw attention of the Burning Hells and High Heavens to the second nephalem filled world.

 

 

As he drifted through his home, he noticed two presences. Making his way over to them, the Guardian Dragon frowned.

 

 

Ruby was curled up in a bed of bones, her hair having grown out in the three months he was gone.

 

 

Standing over her was Linarian, his unnaturally perfect features watching Trag'Oul.

 

 

“Hello, old friend.”

 

 

Trag'Oul drifted over to the ghost of his first student, looking down at the two of them.

 

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

 

“She called to me,” Linarian gestured down to Ruby, “unintentionally, I suspect. She was scared, and had fled here. I see you gave her my cloak.”

 

 

“Yes, I-”

 

 

“You don't need to justify yourself to me. It is the cloak of the Rathma, and she is now Rathma.”

 

 

“When did she come here?”

 

 

“The day you left, she had a fight with her parents. She spoke of the Balance, and it scared them. They tried to take Mendeln’s knife, so she resorted to necromancy and fled here.”

 

 

“She has been here for three months? How has she survived?”

 

 

“I put her into suspended animation while the changes took place, there is nothing to eat, and I fear the worst if she went out into the world unready.”

 

 

“Changes? What did you-”

 

 

Trag'Oul looked at Ruby’s face, and could already make out the changes to its structure. Examining her soul, he found the shackles on it loosened. The bindings of the Worldstone slowly coming undone.

 

 

“Rathma, you did not-”

 

 

“I merely made sure the potential would manifest. Something happened while you were gone, old friend.”

 

 

Turning his eye to Sanctuary, Trag'Oul watched as the moment replayed itself. One of the cult stood by as an angel shattered the Worldstone. The nephalem would return naturally.

 

 

“She is a little girl, she does not deserve the curse of a nephalem.”

 

 

“No, she doesn't. But we both know that sacrifices need to be made to maintain the Balance. If the High Heavens or Burning Hells learn of this place, it will be thrown into the same turmoil as Sanctuary.”

 

 

Trag'Oul didn't argue,  _couldn't_  argue. Hadn't he been doing the same? The only difference was that Linarian had taken it a step further.

 

 

“She won't have all the power at once, when she wakes after I leave, she will have little more than a human who slipped the binds.”

 

 

“You are playing a dangerous game.”

 

 

Linarian didn't refute the statement, merely smiling, “I am maintaining the Balance, being dead has shown me what must be done. Goodbye, old friend, it was good to see you again.”

 

 

The son of Lilith and Inarius faded from existence, leaving Trag'Oul with a newly awakened nephalem tackling him, sobs resuming.

 

 

\---

 

 

Nora watched the other girl pick up the loaf of bread, trying to keep the look of longing off her face.

 

 

The malnourished girl briefly thought about trying to steal it, but quickly decided it was a bad idea.

 

 

It wasn't because she was scared, nope, she wasn't scared of the girl with scary white skin and a knife and-

 

 

“Hey,” Nora looked up, the girl was holding out the loaf of bread.

 

 

Nora stared at it, eyes wide in shock. Was she really-?

 

 

“Come on, you need this more than I do. Take it.”

 

 

Nora stretched out her hands, shaking slightly as she took the loaf.

 

 

It was hard, and cold, but it was more food than she had had in a long time.

 

 

Nora felt a ragged gasp of air escape her throat, desperately tearing a chunk out of the loaf.

 

 

The other girl sat down back against the alley wall, but Nora ignored her as she ate.

 

 

“Hey, don't eat too much, you’ll make yourself sick.”

 

 

Long, spindly fingers took the loaf back, and Nora felt the sudden urge to bite them. She hadn't had anything in a long time.

 

 

“Come on, you can have some more later, but let that settle.”

 

 

The girl extended her hand, holding it out to Nora.

 

 

The little girl couldn't stop the tears that welled up, taking the hand.

 

 

“I’m Ruby, what’s your name?”

 

 

“Nora.”

 

 

Nora followed Rathma through the streets of Kuroyuri, the other girl looking for something.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

 

“I’m trying to find a way home. I had an argument with my dad and ran away.”

 

 

“Where does your father live?”

 

 

Nora froze, and saw Ruby grab her knife, hiding it under her too long cloak as she turned. The other hand pushed Nora behind her, and she felt something hard covering it.

 

 

Standing behind them was a man with grey and black hair, a boy Nora’s age peered out from behind his leg.

 

 

“Sorry, what?”

 

 

“I asked where your father lived, you said you were trying to find a way home.”

 

 

“Patch, near Signal Academy.”

 

 

The older man raised an eyebrow, “That is a very long way for a little girl to get on your own. How did you get here?”

 

 

“I had help.”

 

 

“And they can't help you get back?”

 

 

“Not at the moment, no.”

 

 

“Well, it will certainly be very hard for you to get home, you're on a completely different continent. We can call your father from the CCT, though. Let him know you're safe.”

 

 

“That… that would be nice.”

 

 

“What about her?”

 

 

Nora shrank as the man turned his attention to her, crouching behind Rathma.

 

 

“She’s with me.”

 

 

“Alright,” the man nodded, “I’m Li Ren, and this is Lie.”

 

 

As Rathma let go of Nora’s hand, and Nora saw white clumps fall at her feet.

 

 

“Thank you.”

 

 

\---

 

 

Tai read the letter again, it had been folded again and again.

 

 

Nothing. Him and Qrow had scoured every inch of Patch at least six times, and neither had found anything about a Kalan, nor was there any sign of Ruby.

 

 

Tai buried his face into his hands, groaning. He should have just let her keep the knife, then hidden it away when she went to sleep that night. Instead, Ruby was who knows where, probably with some strange cult.

 

 

Yang had been inconsolable for the first couple of months, heartbroken that her sister had disappeared like both her mothers had.

 

 

Tai’s head snapped up as the long range terminal went off, something Tai had decided to splurge on after Qrow took more missions outside Vale. Walking over to it, Tai checked the ID. The call was coming from Mistral.

 

 

Hitting the button to take the call, Tai sat down. After a brief second, the screen flickered to show a middle aged man, his hair and goatee sprinkled with liberal amounts of grey.

 

 

“Hello?”

 

 

“Hello, are you Tai-Yang Xiao Long?”

 

 

“Yes? If you’re selling something-”

 

 

“I found your daughter walking around our village, she wants to speak with you.”

 

 

Tai stopped, mouth hanging open as the man stepped aside, letting Ruby sit down.

 

 

She was still wearing the clothing she had disappeared in, the hoodie was unzipped, shorts ragged, and the black cape she had gotten from ‘Kalan’ was around her, folded up and tucked into itself to keep her from tripping over it. The knife that had started this mess sat proudly at her waist.

 

 

“Ruby,” Tai choked out, “Do you know how worried we’ve been?”

 

 

Her skin was ash white, but her eyes and hair were still the same.

 

 

“Dad,” Ruby’s wavered briefly, before hardening, “I won't stop learning from Kalan.”

 

 

Tai covered his mouth to hide the sob. He was the adult here, if Ruby was going to behave so seriously, he also needed to.

 

 

“Alright, Rosebud, just- just come home, ok? We miss you. I’m going to call Qrow after this, he’s in the area on a job, and will come pick you up. Ok?”

 

 

Ruby bit her lip, before nodding.

 

 

“Ok, can you let that man back on? I need to speak with him.”

 

 

Ruby did so, and Tai leveled a glare at the dark haired man.

 

 

“I take it you’re Kalan?”

 

 

The man shook his head, “I’ve never heard that name before, Mr. Xiao Long, and it isn't my place to pry. I’m Li Ren.”

 

 

“Right, sorry. We’ve been trying to find her for months, and she just showed up with you.”

 

 

“I understand completely, I have a son that’s a couple years older than her, I don't know what I would do if he went missing. You said someone would come pick her up?”

 

 

“Yeah, my brother-in-law, he’s in the area. Where are you?”

 

 

“Kuroyuri, it’s a small village near the edge of Anima.”

 

 

“He can get directions. Thank you for finding her, we’ve been worried sick.”

 

 

“I should warn you,” Li said, “don’t be surprised if you get one more girl than you were expecting. There was another girl with her when I found her, she’s been following Ruby around like a lost puppy. Wasn't happy when she had to wait outside the room for this call, so I wouldn't expect her to go without a fight.”

 

 

“We can deal with that when we come to it, I need to call Qrow.”

 

 

“Of course, should we expect him in a couple of days?”

 

 

“Yeah.”

 

 

The call ended, and Tai hit the speed dial for Qrow.

 

 

“Tai, it’s,” Qrow looked over at his clock, and Tai saw him rubbing his eyes, “eleven at night here, couldn't this have waited until morning?”

 

 

“No. It’s Ruby.”

 

 

“Did something come up?” Qrow’s voice was immediately alert.

 

 

“I just got a call, she’s in a village called Kuroyuri on Anima. Can you-”

 

 

Tai stopped as Qrow stood, grabbing his scythe and sheathing it, “I’m on it, I’ll find directions, and get there as soon as possible.”

 

 

Qrow hung up, and Tai was left staring at the screen.

 

 

A choked, giddy laugh rose from his chest. They had found Ruby. She would be home soon.

 

 

\---

 

 

Ruby’s chest burned as she ran around the corner, throwing up a wall of bones as she went.

 

 

Grimm, a big one. Too big, she couldn't just launch a set of fangs at it like she had done to the smaller ones on her way to Kuroyuri.

 

 

Ruby heard the giant horse smash its way through the wall, the bone barely slowing it down.

 

 

Throwing her hand behind her, Ruby summoned several skeletons to distract it, praying that they be more successful in stopping the charge.

 

 

They weren't.

 

 

The Grimm didn't stop, smashing through the skeletons in its attempts to reach her.

 

 

Ruby dove into an alley, throwing up another bone wall to hide herself.

 

 

That also didn't work.

 

 

A hand burst through the bone, slamming into Ruby’s chest and sending her skidding back. The bones around Ruby’s chest crumbled, the magic keeping them together fading. Ruby’s back crashed against the wall, and she closed her eyes, reeling in pain.

 

 

Something metallic filled her mouth, and Ruby spat out the broken tooth.

 

 

Ruby felt her blood trickle down the the back of her head, everything spinning.

 

 

The Grimm leaned into the alley, stretching a hand out.

 

 

Ruby braced herself for the blow, reaching back and touching her bloodstained hair.

 

 

Something distracted the Grimm, and it turned away from her.

 

 

Reaching down, Ruby touched the blood coated hand to the ground and traced out a circle. Then a simple star in it.

 

 

The last of Ruby’s skeletons was thrown into the alley, before crumbling to dust.

 

 

Slamming her hand into the symbol, and watched as it grew into a eight foot golem of blood and muscle.

 

 

The golem charged forward, distracting the Grimm as Ruby slunk away.

 

 

Ruby felt the bleeding staunch itself as the Golem traded some of the energy it was draining into her through the link. Looking around, Ruby found Lie and Nora hiding under a deck.

 

 

Sliding next to them, Ruby leaned down, “Are you two alright?”

 

 

“Father, and Mother, they… they…”

 

 

“They’re in a better place,” Ruby placed a hand on Lie’s shoulder, certain that Trag'Oul would find the perfect role for Li and An in maintaining the Balance.

 

 

_Ruby felt the golem be raised into the air._

 

 

“They're dead.”

 

 

_The Grimm tore it in two._

 

 

“It’s ok. Death isn't the end.”

 

 

“How do  _you_  know that? You’re younger than me.”

 

 

Ruby opened her mouth to rebut, but stopped.

 

 

Wait, if her golem was dead, where was the Grimm?

 

 

A hand lashed out, grabbing Ruby by the legs and dragging her along.

 

 

“Ruby!”

 

 

Ruby grew a spike of bone from her still covered left arm, digging it into the support beam and-

 

 

She cried out as her arm cracked, the bone armor disintegrating as her arm went limp.

 

 

Her face crashed into another of the support beams, before the other hand wrapped around her and hoisted her into the air.

 

 

Ruby looked through the trail of blood as the Grimm mouth opened in a screech.

 

 

The grip tightened, and Ruby felt several somethings crack.

 

Ruby closed her eyes, struggling to breath. What would happen when she died? How would she help maintain the Balance in the next world?

 

 

Ruby smiled through the pain as two men manifested before her. One was unnaturally perfect, like some deity had decided to sculpt his face beyond the limits of a human. The other was shorter, with beady black eyes and an off color right hand.

 

 

They put their hands on her arms, and pushed her back. And Ruby's vision was filled with silver light.

 

 

Ruby woke with a gasp, hacking up a glob of red mucus. A pair of hands held her down, and another gripped her right hand.

 

 

“Wuh?”

 

 

A familiar face appeared over her, worry clear.

 

 

“-You alright, Ruby?”

 

 

“Uncle Qrow,” Ruby noticed her speech was garbled, “what are you doing here?”

 

 

“I was coming to pick you up, remember Pipsqueak?”

 

 

“’m not a pipsqueak.”

 

 

“You haven’t grown that much since I saw you. You gave me a heart attack there.”

 

 

Ruby felt herself be picked up, before being placed on a bed.

 

 

“Where are we going?”

 

 

“First we’re going to the hospital, that Grimm really did a number on you, then I’m taking you and your friends back to Patch, ok?”

 

 

Ruby tried to move her head to the side, only for another pair of hands to stop her.

 

 

“Ruby, can I call you Ruby?”

 

 

Ruby tried to nod, only for the hands to keep her head in place.

 

 

“Yes.”

 

 

“Ruby, don't try to move, you have a lot of broken bones. Including several compound fractures, those are when-”

 

 

“The bone is stickin’ out, I know. Where’s the Grimm?”

 

 

“Dead. Your uncle killed it while it was focused on you.”

 

 

“Nora and Lie?”

 

 

“We’re right here,” the hand holding Ruby’s hand squeezed, “don’t do something like that again, please,” Nora’s voice became muffled, “I don’t want to lose either of you.”

 

 

Ruby’s eyelids grew heavy as the woman holding her head placed some sort of mask over it, and Ruby drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Ruby sat as Nora pushed her along, staring sullenly at the cast around her right leg.

 

 

A compound fracture in the leg, two in her rib cage, another four with simple fractures, another simple fracture on her skull, a broken collarbone, a dislocated left arm, and a broken nose.

 

 

Despite that, it was agreed that Ruby had been  _extremely_  lucky. If her skeleton hadn't survived, she would have died. If the Nuckelavee hadn't been distracted by the silver light that had appeared, she would have died. If Uncle Qrow had been half a minute late, or not come with a medical Bullhead sent to pick up someone in the next town over, she probably would have died. If he hadn't accidentally unlocked her Aura trying to heal her, she would probably be looking at two months in a wheelchair, instead of another two weeks, plus her broken nose was healed!

 

 

Ruby signed as Nora pushed her into the classroom, reaching out and squeezing the ginger haired girl’s hand.

 

 

This was the longest time the three survivors of Kuroyuri were going to be apart since the attack.

 

 

Talk about adding to your first-day-a-new-school anxiety.

 

 

“Ruby, why are you giggling like that?”

 

 

Ruby shook her head, “I’ll tell you after school,” Ruby smiled up at the other girl, “Thanks for bringing me.”

 

 

Nora smiled, squeezing Ruby’s hand back, “It’s fine. See you later?”

 

 

“Of course.”

 

 

Nora stopped as she let go of Ruby’s hand, before tapping her finger on Ruby’s nose.

 

 

“Boop!”

 

 

Then she rushed out of the room, and Ruby was left alone with Ms. Greene.

 

 

The first grade teacher looked up from her book, smiling, “It’s good to have you back, you gave everyone quite the scare.”

 

 

Ruby looked away, out the window where she could see a thin layer of snow dusting Patch. Last time she had been home, it had been summer.

 

 

She still wasn't sure what had happened for the first three months, Trag'Oul had been evasive about what had happened and where he had been, the next three (It might have been longer, Time didn't work quite the same in Trag'Oul’s home) were spent teaching her more of the Balance, and advancing her skill with blood and bone.

 

 

Which was good, because it saved her life.

 

 

Frowning, Ruby picked at the fraying edge of her skirt. Had he know? He had never had problems returning her to his home before then, though that had been the first time she physically traveled there.

 

 

Ruby was aware that Trag'Oul knew more than he let on, she had seen Kuroyuri during her first meeting with him, and still got impulses when she thought of the stars that made up the constellar dragon’s body-

 

 

_-A young man, smoke rising around him as he dropped his empty magazines, reloading. Raising his gun, he fired a single bullet, bone broke beneath the ballistic blast. Tendrils of light trailed from his back, magenta with black lining-_

 

 

-like that, Ruby finished the thought dryly.

 

 

“Ruby?”

 

 

The brown haired girl’s head snapped to her teacher.

 

 

“Are you alright? You seemed distracted.”

 

 

Ruby shook her head, “I’m fine, I was just thinking about Kuroyuri.”

 

 

Ms. Greene’s eyes softened, “Of course. Ruby, I understand this must be very hard for you, but if you ever need to talk-”

 

 

“I’m fine.”

 

 

“Ruby, you just went through an extremely traumatic experience, it’s normal to be-”

 

 

“Ms. Greene,” Ruby cut her off with a smile, “I’m fine.”

 

 

“You could have died.”

 

 

“We all die eventually,” Ruby responded, “I’m not scared to do so.”

 

 

“That isn't normal, Ruby. You're just a little girl.”

 

 

“Then I don't want to be normal, I’m happy the way I am.”

 

 

Ms.Greene opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a blur rushed into the room, tackling Ruby into a hug and pushing her wheelchair back.

 

 

“Ruby!” Aileen’s muffled voice came from Ruby’s side, “Do you know how scared I was? Never do anything like that again!” Ruby’s best friend continued to jabber on until Ruby stopped her with a groan.

 

 

“Leenie, ’s nice to see you too, but, you’re crushing my ribs.”

 

 

The hazel eyed girl leapt back, releasing Ruby from her grip, “Sorry! What happened to you?”

 

 

Ms. Greene coughed into her hand, “Aileen, that isn't-”

 

 

“Got into a fight with a Grimm.”

 

 

“What!? Really? Did you win?”

 

 

“No, I lost, that’s why I’m stuck in a wheelchair, silly. I made some new friends, I’ll introduce you after school, K?”

 

 

Aileen shrank into herself, “Ok?”

 

 

“Aileen,” Ms. Greene cut in, “could you take a seat? it’s time for class after all.”

 

 

\---

 

 

Tai growled, smashing the sledgehammer into the bone knife. Nothing. He had been at this since he came home from bringing the kids to school and had literally nothing to show for it. The knife wasn't even chipped.

 

 

Ruby had nearly died, Qrow said that she had barely been moving when they got there.

 

 

Thud.

 

 

He had nearly lost his daughter. His daughter had almost died because of this stupid knife.

 

 

Thud.

 

 

He had already lost Summer, he had already lost Raven, he couldn’t lose either of his baby girls.

 

 

**Thud.**

 

 

And Ruby still wasn't shaken! She still wanted to learn from Kalan, and still wanted to be a Huntress.

 

 

**Thud.**

 

 

She wouldn't even tell them where she met with him so Qrow and him could at least meet the guy. Or even  _how_  she was meeting him, seeing as she was confined to the house.

 

 

**Thud.**

 

 

It couldn't have been Li Ren, otherwise Ruby wouldn't talk about meeting him. Even with her strange outlook on death.

 

 

**THUD!**

 

 

She was a little girl! She should be worrying about playing with her friends. Not running away from Grimm!

 

 

**THUD!**

 

 

The only good part of this was being there to take in the other two kids.

 

 

**THUD!**

 

 

Tai had lost his parents in a Grimm attack, because of course he fuckin’ did, an early sign of how the world would go on to screw with him for the subsequent thirty years.

 

 

**THUD!**

 

 

It was hard, everyone seemed to constantly pity you. Even if you didn't want their damn pity. Even if taking in the kids put a strain on their money, he was fine with doing that. Giving them something resembling a normal life, was worth that.

 

 

**THUD-CRACK!**

 

 

Tai glared at the broken handle of the hammer. He had driven it into the ground so hard it had cratered the ground and broke the hammer.

 

 

But not the damn knife. It was still looking brand new.

 

 

Picking it up, Tai shoved it into its sheath, and walked back towards the house.

 

 

Storing it in the sewn pocket of Ruby’s cloak, lest she go looking for it, Tai walked into the living room.

 

 

Qrow was sitting there, staring at one of the skeletons Ruby had used to deal with her current disabled state.

 

 

Admittedly, they did take some of the difficulty out of life.

 

 

This one was cleaning the house. The vacuum cleaner was running, blocking out whatever Qrow was trying to watch.

 

 

“Tai! Sit down, man, I need to talk to you,” Qrow yelled over the machine, before the skeleton walked out of the room.

 

 

“What’s up?”

 

 

Qrow’s face pulled into a sharp frown, “Ruby.”

 

 

“What about her? We still can't find Kalan, and she still isn't talking.”

 

 

“It’s not that,” Qrow leaned his elbows on his knees, resting his head on his hands, “When she gets better, I want to start training her.”

 

 

“Qrow, I don't want her-”

 

 

“I know, Tai, but there’s nothing either of us can do to stop her. She’s made her choice, and I don't think there’s anything we can do to change that.”

 

 

“We can keep her from this, she isn't even six, man. She shouldn't be dealing with this shit!”

 

 

“I know, trust me, but if she’s going to insist to do stuff like this, I want to make sure she doesn't die. Whatever those are,” Qrow jerked his head at one of the skeletons, “they aren't her Semblance. I woke up her Aura saving her.”

 

 

Tai stopped, mouth opening mutely for a few seconds, “She hadn't had her Aura unlocked?”

 

 

“No, so whatever Kalan has been teaching her wouldn't involve using it. I don’t want that to get her killed later on.”

 

 

“What would you teach her?”

 

 

“Just basic stuff, how to defend herself, different Grimm types, using her Aura. Things that will keep her from dying.”

 

 

“That’s- I’m fine with that.”

 

 

“Good. I was going to do it either way.”

 

 

“You're an ass.”

 

 

Qrow laughed, gesturing to one of the skeletons, who poured him a drink.

 

 

“You know, I could get used to these things.”

 

 

“I think Ruby already has, I saw her teaching one to bake cookies.”

 

 

“Yang too, she had one clean the dishes when it was her turn.”

 

 

Tai laughed, “looks like the conspiracy theorists were wrong, we’ll be replaced with skeletons instead of robots if other people learn how to do this.”

 

 

The two men leaned back chuckling, watching the wall mounted Scroll as the macabre servants walked around them.

 

 

\----

 

 

Nora looked at the girl practically curled up behind Ruby’s chair.

 

 

“Uh?”

 

 

“What?”

 

 

“Who's that?”

 

 

“What?” Ruby turned in her chair, “Oh, for Dust sake, Lennie, it isn't that bad- RIBS!”

 

 

“They did tell you to keep from doing stuff like that,” Lie responded lightly to Ruby’s cry of pain, but helped her sit up nonetheless.

 

 

“I don’t want to sit around for a couple of weeks, it’s borrring,” Ruby dragged out the R, lolling her head to the side.

 

 

Lie adjusted her head, “Don’t do that, you're just going to extend how long you’re stuck in there.”

 

 

Nora watched the two of them as Lie gently fussed over Ruby.

 

 

“Ruby? Lie?”

 

 

The two of them turned, and Nora tapped them both on the nose.

 

 

“Boop.”

 

 

Nora watched them both blink in confusion.

 

 

“Uh, why do you keep doing that? Does it mean something?”

 

 

_Thank you for finding me, for saving me at Kuroyuri, for being nice to me, for taking us home with you. I’m sorry you both got hurt there._

 

 

“It’s- It’s something my parents used to do to me.”

 

 

“Oh,” Ruby chirped, kicking her feet, “That’s cool! Lennie? Have you calmed down yet?”

 

 

“Yeah,” the girl’s shaky voice answered, “I’m good, come on, let’s find our parents.”

 

 

“You sure? You haven’t really met Nora and Lie yet!”

 

 

“Call me Ren.”

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

“I want you to call me Ren.”

 

 

Ruby shrugged, smiling, “Ok, Ren! Lennie? Are you-”

 

 

“I want to go home. I’m not feeling well,” Lennie’s voice came out clipped.

 

 

Ruby’s smile faltered briefly, “Ok. Come on guys, let's go find dad.”

 

 

Nora took over pushing Ruby’s chair, looking around the school yard for Taiyang’s truck.

 

 

“Why is everyone looking at us?” Li- Ren asked, looking around. When Nora checked, she saw he was right.

 

 

“Patch is pretty small, you know? Most people at least know each other in passing, so when new people show up, people notice.”

 

 

“Especially when someone shows up in a wheelchair,” Lennie mumbled, shrinking in on herself again, “You running into a Grimm is going to circle faster than a Nevermore.”

 

 

“So? If they want to know they can ask me about it, I don't care.”

 

 

“How do you keep saying that? You nearly died Ruby. We watched them cart you to the emergency room.”

 

 

“Ren. I’m not scared of dying. People can think that is strange, but it’s true. So long as I die for something I believe in, I’m happy.”

 

 

“And you would have died for something you believe in at Kuroyuri?”

 

 

“Well,” Ruby’s eyes seemed to burrow into Ren’s skull, “Uncle Qrow was right there, so at least you two would have gotten out of there safely. That is good enough for me.”

 

 

“Don’t.”

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

“Don’t die like that, Ruby. I don’t want to lose you.”

 

 

Nora had seen what had happened to Ruby. She had stopped moving in the Grimm’s hand, sagged down limp with blood pouring from her mouth. Dead.

 

 

Then she wasn't.

 

 

Ruby’s eyes had started to glow, and silver lights in the shape of bone wings had burst through the Grimm’s hands, burning them to ash and distracting it for Qrow.

 

 

Then she had collapsed, chest moving again, wings gone.

 

 

“Nora, Lie, Aileen, Ruby! Over here!”

 

 

Taiyang was waving at them, a brown haired woman sitting next to him on the truck bed and Yang playing with some cube, leaning against the wheel.

 

 

Faster than Nora had comprehend, the woman and Aileen left, they were bundled into the back of the truck, with Ruby’s wheelchair in the bed, and heading to the house.

 

 

Their house.

 

 

Nora looked down, before grabbing Ruby’s free hand.

 

 

\----

 

 

Yang watched Ruby talk to Nora, animatedly moving her freshly released limbs.

 

 

“Ruby? Can I talk to you? Alone?”

 

 

“Huh? Yeah, sure, what’s up Yang?”

 

 

Yang gently guided her sister to her room, shutting and locking the door.

 

 

“What’s up-”

 

 

“Why did you run away?” It had taken weeks for Yang to work up the courage to ask this and she hated how broken her voice sounded at the moment. She was supposed to be the big sister.

 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

 

“You were missing for six months. I thought I had lost you, like mom,” which mom went unsaid.

 

 

“Which-?”

 

 

“It doesn't matter. Why’d you run away?”

 

 

Sometimes, things happened that made you rethink your priorities. Like worrying about your little sister running off.

 

 

“I was scared.”

 

 

“Then why didn't you come home?”

 

 

“I needed to train more.”

 

 

“You scared me!”

 

 

“I needed to learn how to defend people.”

 

 

“What about me?”

 

 

Ruby looked confused, “What about you? I needed to learn.”

 

 

“You abandoned me,” Yang hissed out, fists clenching. Did Ruby really not-?

 

 

“I came back.”

 

 

“You left.”

 

 

“Dad wanted me to stop training, I wasn't going to.”

 

 

“You left me.”

 

 

“Was I supposed to take you with me?”

 

 

“You were supposed to stay!”

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“Because you're my little sister! You're not supposed to be running off without me and getting hurt.”

 

 

“You haven’t told me what I was supposed to do, if I stayed Dad would have made me stop training.”

 

 

“Then you should have stopped training.”

 

 

“I won’t.”

 

 

“Why!?”

 

 

“Because it's who I am, and I’m happy that way. I am Ruby Rose, and I am Rathma, and I refuse to give up either of those.”

 

 

“Stop talking like that!”

 

 

“Like what?”

 

 

“Using all these big words! You're my little sister, you shouldn't be talking like a grown up!”

 

 

“Kalan taught me to speak well, it’s part of who I am now, Yang.”

 

 

“Then how are you my little sister? You ran away, you don't care about me-”

 

 

“I care about you-”

 

 

“You keep using big words and talking about this Balance, and all these things Kalan taught you, and you're not acting like my little sister anymore.”

 

 

“People change, Yang.”

 

 

“Well, I don't want you too!”

 

 

“It’s happened.”

 

 

Yang tackled Ruby with a shriek, pulling at her sister's hair.

 

 

“Stop saying things like that!”

 

 

“Ow! Yang, stop! That hurts!”

 

 

“Stop being so stupid then, dummy! I don't want to lose you too!”

 

 

“Ok! Ok! Fine, I won't run away again! Just stop it!”

 

 

Yang let go of Ruby’s hair, pulling her into a hug.

 

 

“Don’t scare me like that ever again, sis.”

 

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

 

“No. You won’t.”

 

 

“I can't promise anything better than my best-”

 

 

“You. Won't.”

 

 

\----

 

 

“Alright, pipsqueak, let’s see that armor you can make.”

 

 

Qrow watched Ruby fidget, pulling at the end of her skirt.

 

 

“What?”

 

 

“My bone armor is kind of… spikey. I don't want to ruin my clothes.”

 

 

“Come on, kid,” Qrow rolled his eyes, “It isn’t that bad. Your mom fought in a skirt.”

 

 

Ruby’s eyes lit up, a smile tugging at her lips, “Ok!”

 

 

Mentioning Summer was always a good way to excite Ruby.

 

 

Ruby made a gesture, raising her hand from hip to neck level.

 

 

White gauntlets formed first, with spikes coming off the elbow, and then came the greaves, similarly spiked. Ruby’s shirt bulged slightly, like something had appeared beneath it, before spikes burst from the sleeves. Similarly, her skirt  _was_  impaled on spikes of bone.

 

 

…

 

 

“..Is there any way  _not_  to include the spikes?”

 

 

Ruby shook her head, “I don’t know of one, best I can do is make them grow on the skirt.”

 

 

“Why didn't you do that?”

 

 

“...’s hard.”

 

 

“Yeah, we’re going to have to buy you pants for training. At least until you get better at it.”

 

 

Ruby glared forlornly at the torn remains of her skirt, “I liked this one.”

 

 

“I’ll buy you a new one,” Qrow responded quickly, “now, how about your head?”

 

 

“What about it?”

 

 

“Aren't you going to cover it?”

 

 

“I dunno?”

 

 

Qrow sighed, “Kalan didn't teach you how to do that?”

 

 

“I’m gonna armor the hood when I get better.”

 

“But you don't know anything right now.”

 

 

“No?”

 

 

Qrow rubbed his eyes in irritation “He didn't teach you to do that?”

 

 

“No.”

 

 

“Right, get your weapon ready.”

 

 

“K!”

 

 

Ruby held out left hand, and a series of dust collected in her hand, forming bones that snapped into a scythe, before drawing the knife in her right hand.

 

 

“Ruby. What is that?”

 

 

“A scythe?”

 

 

“Why’d you make a scythe, pip?”

 

 

“Well, you use a scythe, and the Priests traditionally use scythes and knives.”

 

 

And there was the confirmation it was a cult.

 

 

“What’s the Priests like?” Qrow asked, fishing for answers, anything that would let him track down Kalan.

 

 

“Dunno.”

 

 

“What do you mean? Haven't you met them?”

 

 

“They’re not here,” Ruby shook her head, “it’s just me and Kalan.”

 

 

“Then where are they?”

 

 

“I dunno. Kalan just says they're not here.”

 

 

“Do you think they got wiped out?”

 

 

“I don't think so, Kalan would have said if they were.”

 

 

Qrow narrowed his eyes, “Is priests short for something?”

 

 

“The Priests of Rathma.”

 

 

“Don’t you use the title Rathma?”

 

 

“It means Student, they're named after Kalan’s first student.”

 

 

“Does Kalan mean something?” They were definitely looking for someone older then, if they had already had a student who had an organization named after them.

 

 

“Teacher.”

 

 

Qrow paused, “So, it’s not his name?”

 

 

That would explain why they hadn't found the bastard.

 

 

“No.”

 

 

“Then what’s his name?”

 

 

“Trag'Oul.”

 

 

Well, it certainly wouldn't be hard to find someone with that name.

 

 

“I’m not teaching you to use a scythe, especially not that one.”

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“Because you're too small to use a scythe, and if you end up using one later, it’s going to be made out of metal, not bone.”

 

 

“There’s nothing wrong with-”

 

 

Qrow moved forward and used to practice knife he had to severe the scythe in three along the points where the bones connected.

 

 

Like everything else Ruby made, it crumbled to dust, disappearing as quickly as it came.

 

 

“-bone. Wuh?”

 

 

“You're not using a bone scythe. Now, come at me, I want to get an idea of what you know about knife fighting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing I always liked about this fic is that Tai isn't necessarily anymore wrong than he is right. He's worried about his daughter and Ruby has done very little to alleviate those fears.


	3. Chapter 3

"I want you to help me train.”

 

 

Tai looked away from the window, out which he could see Qrow showing Ruby pictures of different types of Grimm, circling the different weak spots. Ruby was paying close attention, nodding and mouthing along.

 

 

“Sorry, what?”

 

 

“I want you to help me train. Ruby said you had trained in hand-to-hand combat,” Ren said, looking up a him, “Father was teaching me to before,” Ren stopped, “before. I want to continue.”

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“I want to be a Huntsman.”

 

 

Of course he did.

 

 

“Why?” Tai asked, searching Ren’s face.

 

 

What had happened to the innocence of youth?

 

 

“I want to make sure nobody has to go through what I did,” Ren said, his magenta eyes hardening slightly, “and besides, they,” he gestured out the window, where Nora had joined Ruby, her wooden hammer clenched in hand, “are going to become Huntresses. I don't want to sit around, worrying something happened to one of them.”

 

 

Tai wanted to refute that, but knew it was true. Ruby had all but made up her mind, and Nora would follow her to the ends of the earth.

 

 

And so, it seemed, would Ren.

 

 

“You know, Ruby's not going to be in the same class as you two, she’s a couple of years younger than you.”

 

 

“Then we’ll wait for her,” Ren said softly, but without room for argument, “We’re a team. We got out of Kuroyuri together, we’ll learn together, too.”

 

 

“Ok,” Tai said, “Follow me.”

 

 

Tai guided Ren out into the yard, where and the lesson stopped.

 

 

“What’s up, Tai?”

 

 

“I want to get a feel for what Ren knows, I thought we could have him and Ruby spar.”

 

 

Qrow nodded, “Good idea, what about it, pipsqueak, up for it?”

 

 

Ruby stood up, dusting off the pants she hat taken to wearing during training at Qrow’s insistence.

 

 

“I’m not a pipsqueak!” Ruby insisted, but drew her knife anyways.

 

 

Qrow and Tai went to the patio to give them space, bringing Nora with them.

 

 

“Just start whenever you two are ready!”

 

 

It took about twenty seconds for one of them to make the first move.

 

 

Ren swept his foot at Ruby’s leg, but Ruby just jumped over it.

 

 

Ruby flipped the knife into a hammer grip, swinging at Ren’s side. He caught the arm, and twisted it away, before letting go.

 

 

“What are they doing?” Tai asked under his breath as the slow dance happened before him.

 

 

“They're holding back,” Qrow’s eyes followed the fight, where Ruby had just made a punch at Ren’s side. The Mistralan boy caught it, throwing her arm wide, but not capitalizing on her being off balance, “they're scared to hurt each other.”

 

 

“We can't really get a good read on them if they don't pick up the pace.”

 

 

Qrow nodded, before calling for them to do so.

 

 

Ruby and Ren stopped, sharing a look. After a second, they nodded.

 

 

Ren drove a foot at Ruby’s knee and she danced back from it.

 

 

Ruby swung an arm, and dust collected into a set of wicked fangs that launched at Ren.

 

 

Ren batted two aside, before spinning around the other two. Coming around, he attempted to drive a knife hand into Ruby's chest through the ribbed armor.

 

 

Ruby swung her elbow down, knocking it away, before hitting him with the base of the knife.

 

 

Nora gasped, watching the fight intently, like she didn't know who to cheer for.

 

 

Ren staggered back, looking a bit dazed, before ducking under Ruby’s swing.

 

 

“Well,” Qrow muttered, “You have to give the asshole credit, at least he taught her to fight.”

 

 

Tai nodded, “Yeah. I wish we could find him. What kind of name is Kalan, anyway?”

 

 

“A title. She told me when we started the lesson, it means ‘Teacher.’”

 

 

That explained a lot.

 

 

“Did she say anything else?”

 

 

“It’s definitely a Cult. ‘The Priests of Rathma’. She says it means ‘Student’.”

 

 

“Did she say his name?”

 

 

“Trag’Oul.”

 

 

“What kind of name is that?”

 

 

“I don't know, man. I think he might be old, Ruby said the ‘Rathma’ part came from his last student.”

 

 

Ruby launched another set of teeth at Ren, who dodged them just as easily as before, diving at Ruby.

 

 

That’s when everything went wrong.

 

 

Nora suddenly cried out in pain, falling to the side, and Ren tripped halfway there, crashing into Ruby, who had suddenly dropped her knife and covered her eyes, sending them both sprawling onto the ground. Silvery wings appeared behind Ruby for a second, obliterating the ground where they touched.

 

 

Then all three stopped moving, unconscious.

 

 

\---

 

 

“Adam,” Blake hissed, ears standing on end as she peered out the alley with her best friend, “come on, this is a terrible idea. Let’s just go home.”

 

 

“Why, you scared?” Adam took his eyes off the ship in the harbor, looking back at her, a taunting grin on his face.

 

 

“N- no!” Blake was lucky it was dark out, otherwise she was sure Adam would be able to see her blush, “It- It’s just… w- we could get into a lot of trouble with Mom and Dad if we get caught!”

 

 

Of course she was scared, they were sneaking onto a ship in the middle of the night. Only someone completely fearless, or completely  _stupid_ , wouldn't be. Blake wasn't sure which Adam was.

 

 

“Well,” Adam said, bracing himself for a run, “then we better not get caught!”

 

 

Adam rushed across the street of Menagerie, sending a bird flying into the air, croaking loudly, before jumping feet first into the water.

 

 

Blake flinched at the noise, before rushing after him and diving in.

 

 

Blake broke the surface easily, silently sliding beneath the water and swimming to the side of the ship.

 

 

Blake always liked swimming.

 

 

Adam grabbed onto the ladder, climbing up, and Blake followed behind him.

 

 

Ooohh. This was such a bad idea…

 

 

Blake looked around the ship, clutching at her handkerchief. Even if Adam was right, what was this supposed to prove? They couldn't reveal it without admitting they snuck onto the ship.

 

 

Adam pushed open the door, slipping beneath the deck of the ship.

 

 

Blake looked back at Menagerie, severely tempted to jump ship and go home. It was late, and they could end up in a lot of trouble if they got caught.

 

 

“Blake,” Adam hissed, “Come on!”

 

 

Blake reluctantly followed Adam down the stairs.

 

 

It took them a few minutes to find the main cargo hold, and Blake rubbed her arms.

 

 

What had one of her books described it as? Someone walking over her grave?

 

 

They shouldn't be here. Something bad was going to happen…

 

 

Adam pushed several crates, before giving a triumphant yelp, pulling out the container filled with a faintly glowing yellow material.

 

 

“I told you! I knew they were lying about not having any more Dust! Come on, we need to show this to your Da-”

 

 

Blake tensed as she heard something, her ears twitching in the direction of the footfall, before she tackled Adam behind the crates.

 

 

“Wha-!?”

 

 

“Shhh.”

 

 

The door on the other end of the room cracked open, and two men walked in.

 

 

“-Don’t hear anything!”

 

 

“Still, better to check. I don't trust those Faunus, and I don't want to be the one explainin’ to the Captain why we lost some of the Dust.”

 

 

Blake could feel Adam's eyes burrowing into her head. Ok, so he might have been right but-

 

 

“What’s that?”

 

 

Blake’s eyes rolled to the glowing container of Dust, still clutched in Adam's fist.

 

 

Oh no.

 

 

The flashlight lit the two of them up, and they shared a look, yellow eyes locking onto burgundy, before they sprang up, running as fast as they could back the way they came.

 

 

They were halfway up the stairs when the first pang hit.

 

 

White spots flashed across Blake’s vision as the burning hit. Had she been shot? What? What was going on?

 

 

The next pang, worse than before, caused Blake to trip slightly, but she caught herself and kept running eyes locked onto where Adam was holding the door open.

 

 

The third came when they were halfway across the deck, and Blake couldn't keep herself standing.

 

 

She crashed down, rolling onto her back and looking at the moon. Something small was crossing it.

 

 

“Blake! Get up!”

 

 

Before she could do so, the guard grabbed her by the arms, yanking her into the air.

 

 

“You dirty little-!”

 

 

Blake yelped as he smashed her into the wall.

 

 

Blake looked over to where Adam was standing at the edge, looking between her and the Dust.

 

 

“Help,” she croaked out, the pressure on her arms growing worse.

 

 

“That isn't yours! Do you know what we do to thiefs?”

 

 

Thieves, Blake’s mind couldn't help but snidely correct him.

 

 

Adam looked between them again, before mouthing an apology and jumping off the edge.

 

 

Blake felt one of the hands leave her arm, leaving her dangling by one arm. Blake flinched as the knife pressed against her ear, cutting into it slightly.

 

 

“Hey!” The other guard said, “What are you doing!?”

 

 

“She’s a thief!”

 

 

“She’s a kid! You aren't going to seriously going to-”

 

 

“She’s a Faunus! Besides, taking these off  I’m doing her a favor!”

 

 

Blake started to shake slightly, the eight year old trying to keep from crying. Looking back at Menagerie, she saw the bird from earlier sitting on the edge of the ship.

 

 

It was black, little more than an outline against the lights of Menagerie. What she wouldn't give to be a bird right now, to just be able to fly away from this…

 

 

The bird turned its head.

 

 

“You don't know what’s going on with that kid, she might have gotten roped into this! Even if she isn't, this isn't what we’re supposed to do!”

 

 

“I don't really ca-”

 

 

The bird exploded off the edge of the ship, flying right into the face of the man holding Blake with another loud croak.

 

 

He dropped Blake, swinging at it wildly with his knife.

 

 

“My eyes! You-”

 

 

Blake didn't wait to hear the end of the sentence, diving off the edge of the ship.

 

 

Blake crawled out of the water, staggering through the streets of Menagerie as another pang tore through her.

 

 

Just before she passed out, she saw her parents running towards her, a cowed looking Adam behind them.

 

 

And the black bird sitting a roof, watching her, something wet and red covering its claws.

 

 

What she wouldn't give to be a bi-

 

 

\---

 

 

“Very good, Miss Schnee, that's enough for today.”

 

 

“No!” Winter gasped, clutching the training saber, “Again!”

 

 

“Miss Schnee-”

 

 

Winter lunged forward, grunting as her trainer calmly smacked her across the arm.

 

 

“Miss Schnee!”

 

 

Winter continued her assault, trying to shake off the feeling of mounting dread that had followed her all day.

 

 

Something big was going to happen today, something life changing. She could feel it.

 

 

Her fencing trainer swung again, and Winter caught it with her main gauche.

 

 

Slow.  _Weak._

 

 

Winter flicked her arm, throwing the arm back as she stepped forward.

 

 

Her saber came forward, catching her trainer in the neck. Padded leather absorbed the blow.

 

 

He looked down, before launching into a flurry of blows.

 

 

Slow. Why was he so  _SLOW?_

 

 

Winter deflected each move with ease, then launched her own storm of strikes.

 

 

Her trainer, the best money could buy, was barely able to keep up.

 

 

He hadn't been so slow yesterday!

 

 

“Stop. Holding. Back!”

 

 

He dropped the weapon, drawing his sword from his hip.

 

 

“Miss Schnee, I don't want to hurt you, but-”

 

 

“Shut up!” Winter snarled, swinging her sword.

 

 

Fire was burning in her veins, starting in her fingers and slowly making its way to her heart.

 

 

Even with his preferred weapon in hand, the fencing master was woefully  _slow._

 

 

Winter swung, catching him in the arm. She swung again, hitting his chest.

 

 

As Winter stepped forward, she saw steel gather in his eyes as he curled in on himself. What was he going to-?

 

 

He unleashed himself like a spring, the blade lashing out with such speed that all she could see was a glimmer of light.

 

 

So he had been holding back!

 

 

Something about that infuriated Winter even further. The burning grew worse, making its way to the center of her chest.

 

 

Winter moved to block his blows, only for a trigger on the hilt of the blade to click, and her sword to explode.

 

 

While most of the fragments were absorbed by Winter’s dueling leather, one tore across her cheek. Blood trickled down from it.

 

 

Dust.

 

 

“Miss Schnee!”

 

 

Winter threw the dagger in her left hand, he dodged it easily, but it achieved her goal.

 

 

Winter dove forward, hand wrapping around the discarded training saber, and coming up in a giant swing.

 

 

Something blue sparked at the edge when the swords made contact.

 

 

The instructor’s eyes went wide as he was bodily thrown across the room.

 

 

The burning grew worse.

 

 

He scrambled to his feet, pulling the trigger as the sword sang through empty air.

 

 

Winter saw the thin line of red Dust, and stepped aside, letting it explode harmlessly against the wall.

 

 

Winter took one step forward. Then another. Then ano-

 

 

The burning finally reached her heart and it increased a hundredfold. The training saber fell from nerveless fingers, her hands rising to grip her chest.

 

 

“Miss Schnee?”

 

 

It pulsed again, and Winter flinched, falling back.

 

 

“Miss Schnee!”

 

 

He ran over to her side, she gasped desperately trying to gulp down air.

 

 

He fumbled to take off the fencing gear, checking her heartbeat. He muttered something that would have gotten him fired if Jacques was around.

 

 

He flicked open his scroll, hitting a number on it.

 

 

What-?

 

 

“I need an ambulance… The Schnee Manor…”

 

 

Winter drifted off at that point.

 

 

\---

 

 

“Aurora!” Jaune called, peering through the woods near his house and clutching the wooden sword tight, “It’s getting dark, we need to go home!”

 

 

His sister didn't answer.

 

 

Great.

 

 

Jaune walked into the woods, trying to suppress the shiver of worry that ran up his spine.

 

 

That had happened a lot today, like something bad had happened.

 

 

He had asked Aurora if she felt it, and she had just given him a weird look.

 

 

The rest of his sisters were on a trip to Vale with his mom, leaving his dad and them alone for the week.  _They_  would be joining the rest of the Arc family in a couple of days for the festival next week. It would be the first time Jaune had gone to a big city.

 

 

He was fine with being here for now, both him and Aurora weren't particularly into… whatever it was girls did when boys (and a ten year old) weren't around. He thought… Maybe… Ok, so that's what Orlena had said.

 

 

The eight year old Arc gripped his sword tighter, until it was groaning in protest.

 

 

“Aurora! Come on, Dad’s gonna be angry at us if we don't get home soon!”

 

 

Jaune rubbed at his eyes, trying to get rid of the headache forming there.

 

 

Oh… They were in so much trouble…

 

 

“Aurora! We need to go-”

 

 

“BOO!”

 

 

Aurora swung down in front of him, hanging from the tree by her legs. Her toy axe was clenched in her hands, stopping just an inch before Jaune’s nose.

 

 

Jaune didn't drop his sword. He didn't fall backwards onto his butt. He didn't scream in fear.

 

 

Instead, he put his sword down hard, decided to sit down hard, and made a laugh so loud it  _sounded_  like a scream. Yep! That was his story and he was sticking to it.

 

 

Aurora laughed, falling from the tree and landing on her feet.

 

 

“Scared, Jaune-y?”

 

 

“No!” Jaune scrambled to his feet, ignoring how the headache seemed to get worse, and grabbing his sword.

 

 

“You were!” Aurora didn't bother to hide the glee in her voice.

 

 

“Was not!”

 

 

“Was too!”

 

 

“Was not!”

 

 

“Was not!”

 

 

“Was too!”

 

 

“Ha! I knew it!”

 

 

“I wasn't!” Jaune whined.

 

 

Both stopped as the growl came from the side.

 

 

The Grimm that pushed through the woods was like a big bear.

 

 

“Jaune-”

 

 

It looked between the two of them, and Jaune felt his heart hammer in his chest, the feeling of dread, and headache, mounting.

 

 

Then a calm overtook him.

 

 

“Jaune-”

 

 

Jaune pushed Aurora behind him, reaching down to grab the biggest stick he could.

 

 

“Jau-”

 

 

“When I say ‘now’, go get Dad.”

 

 

“J-”

 

 

“NOW!” Jaune threw the stick, small branch, really, at the Grimm, before grabbing Aurora’s axe and tearing off into the woods with the bear on his trail.

 

 

“JAUNE!”

 

 

Jaune didn't turn around, focusing in front of him.

 

 

When Jaune reached the clearing, he span, grabbing the wooden sword by the ‘blade’ and throwing it straight into the Grimm’s eye like a spear before diving out of the way and letting it smash into the tree line.

 

 

He didn’t think about how he had managed to throw it hard enough to cause the children’s toy to break through the bone plating around the eye, or how he managed to account for the speed of the Grimm, or how he had performed a perfect roll.  Instead, he came up, wrapping his hands around the axe handle and prepared.

 

 

It wasn't dead. He could tell.

 

 

Sure enough, the Grimm threw the tree off of him, his broken sword still lodged in its eye, and charged at him.

 

 

Jaune did what came naturally. He charged to meet it.

 

 

Unfortunately for the blond haired boy, when a quarter ton bear meets a eighty pound boy, the boy tends to lose.

 

 

It was like striking a brick wall, and Jaune was suddenly on the ground, trying to fend off the teeth at his throat.

 

 

Jaune grabbed the axe, forcing the wood between the jaws of the Grimm and tearing out the sword.

 

 

The Grimm pulled back, roaring and letting the axe fall.

 

 

Great. Now he had a broken sword.

 

 

The Grimm charged again, but couldn't seem to focus on him.

 

 

While it was distracted getting the new tree off it, Jaune rushed over and grabbed the axe.

 

 

As the beast finally rose, Jaune felt a red haze settle over him.

 

 

The Grimm snarled.

 

 

He snarled right back.

 

 

“Jaune!”

 

 

Jaune’s eyes rolled to the left, where his father had run into the clearing. In his hand was the sword that sat over their fireplace, the shield that went with it was on his arm.

 

 

Smaller than he would have liked but otherwise  _Perfect._

 

 

Jaune tore across the space, grabbing the sword and charging to meet the Grimm.

 

 

This time, the boy won.

 

 

Jaune rammed the blade into chest so hard to poked through the back, before ramming the axe into its open mouth.

 

 

This time, it didn't last.

 

 

He didn't need it to.

 

 

Jaune cleaved off the Grimms arms in the time it took for it to break the axe, before stabbing it repeatedly.

 

 

Finally, the Grimm, and the haze, disappeared.

 

 

Then the headache came back.

 

 

“Jaune?”

 

 

He looked up at his dad, then he fell backwards, eyes rolling into the back of his head and sword falling from limp fingers.

 

 

\---

 

 

Ruby looked around in confusion, Mendeln’s dagger still gripped to swing.

 

 

Huh.

 

 

This was weird.

 

 

This wasn't where Trag’Oul lived.

 

 

…

 

 

So where was it?

 

 

Ruby tightened her grip on the Nephalem bone, eyes moving around as she called for the bones to gather into armor.

 

 

Better safe than sorry.

 

 

Nothing.

 

 

Ruby blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Then she tried again.

 

 

Still nothing.

 

 

That wasn't possible. Almost everywhere had  _something_  die there at some point.

 

 

Ruby jumped as a hand pulled her cloak over her head, spinning around and trying to form a set of Den'Trag.

 

 

When no teeth showed up, Ruby could feel the sweat run down her face.

 

 

Oh yeah… No bones. Right.

 

 

Wait, why hadn't her cloak reacted?

 

 

Ruby pulled the hood back, staring at the man sitting on a bench of bone across from her.

 

 

Oh, come on! That just wasn't fair!

 

 

The man’s face was a bit too long, and several shades too pale, similar to Ruby's own skin tone.

 

 

The skin tone of a Necromancer.

 

 

Black beady eyes stared back at her, and he was gesturing with his right hand. It was an unhealthy pallor, like it was dead, stitching held it to his arm.

 

 

“A seat, Rathma?”

 

 

Ruby had realized her jaw had dropped at some point, and she moved her mouth, trying to find words.

 

 

“You’re… You’re Mendeln!”

 

 

The Master Necromancer smiled. It was a drawn thing.

 

 

“I am.”

 

 

Ruby didn't notice Mendeln flinch as she squealed, rushing to sit next to him.

 

 

No wonder she hadn't been able to grab the bones! She, she was just a student! He was the founder of the Priests of Rathma, Trag’Oul’s second apprentice and Linarian’s only one! She would be lucky to be  _half_  the Necromancer he was, was lucky to just be able to talk to him!

 

 

But… how? He had died centuries ago.

 

 

As if he had read her mind, Mendeln spoke, “Death isn't-”

 

 

“-the end,” Ruby finished for him, the embarrassed blush throwing a shock of red across her cheeks.

 

 

That was the first thing a Necromancer learned! Stupid. Stupidstupidstupid.

 

 

“Why, why are you here? Sir. Kalan. Sir,” Oh, how did she address him? She didn't want to insult him by accident!

 

 

“Just Mendeln,” He answered the unspoken question, “It isn't right for one apprentice to speak to another so formally.”

 

 

“I’m not. I’m just,” Ruby ducked her head, pulling the hood of the Cloak of Rathma over her head and poking her fingers together, “I’m just a student. You were a legend. Are a legend.”

 

 

“And I started out as a farmer who got dragged along on a quest to save the world by my brother. Everyone starts somewhere.”

 

 

“I, I’ve never heard of your brother. Sorry, Sir.”

 

 

“Mendeln,” he repeated in the same tone Trag’Oul would use when he was teaching her something important, “I didn't think you would. But know this, Uldyssian was to us what Linarian was to the original Nephalem. I take it Trag’Oul has taught you about them?”

 

 

“They're the ancestors of humans, born from the forbidden union of Angels and Demons. As such, they are immune to Fate.”

 

 

“Indeed you are. What else?”

 

 

“They died out after the Worldstone was tampered with, causing all children born after to be weaker and die natural dea-” Ruby stopped as what Mendeln said finally caught up to her, “Uh, Mendeln, sir. You said ‘you’.”

 

 

“I did.”

 

 

“But that can't be right.”

 

 

“Why can't it?”

 

 

“Because I’m not a Nephalem.”

 

 

“Aren't you?”

 

 

“No?”

 

 

“Why not?”

 

 

“Because I’m not? My parents were human.”

 

 

“It doesn't work like that. All humans are are Nephalem whose powers were sealed.”

 

 

“But, the Worldstone-”

 

 

“Shattered while you were in Trag’Oul’s home. The Nephalem are coming back. You are one, as are your two friends. I would not be surprised if your sister awoke eventually, and your father and uncle. Like tends to attract like, and being near three powerful Nephalem is almost assured to end in them awakening.”

 

“But, I’m just a normal girl.”

 

 

“You are training in the art of death magics with a Guardian dragon made out of stars, you left ‘normal’ behind at a tavern a while back, wondering what just stomped on its head.”

 

 

Ruby laughed slightly.

 

 

“Then… what do I do?”

 

 

“Whatever you want. There is literally nothing in existence that can  _make_  you do anything.”

 

 

“I just want to help maintain the Balance.”

 

 

“Then you will help maintain the Balance,” Mendeln said.

 

 

“It can't be that easy.”

 

 

“It won't,” he assured her, “without the Worldstone, Angels and Demons will be able to invade. They don't know where Remnant is, but when they do, you will have to be ready. Gather a team, learn to work with them.”

 

 

“How?”

 

 

“I told you, didn't I? Like attracts Like. They will come to you. And,” Mendeln held out a carved bone on a string, “If you ever need advice don't hesitate to ask.”

 

 

Ruby took it, opening her mouth, “Thank you-”

 

 

“Don’t,” Mendeln raised a hand, “You're about to be thrown into hell because of this, it’s the least I could do. Good luck.”

 

 

Then Ruby was opening her eyes, and there was a weight on her chest.

 

 

“What?” Ren’s voice came from on top of her, “Dust, Ruby, I’m sorry!”

 

 

He sprang off her, allowing Ruby to sit up and look around. Nora was rubbing her head, having also just sat up, and her Uncle and Dad looked on in worry.

 

 

\---

 

 

Blake woke to the sound of her dad yelling.

 

 

“-You thinking! Do you know how much trouble you're in?”

 

 

“I found this Dust! They were holding out on us-”

 

 

“That doesn't matter! We were already having trouble convincing them to sell us what they did, now they’ll be  _less_  likely to sell to us!”

 

 

“But we can prove-”

 

 

“Not without admitting you and Blake snuck onto the ship and stole it! You both could get in a lot of trouble for this, Adam. Just, Just go to your room.”

 

 

Blake heard the sound of heavy footsteps, before her dad sighed, walking into the room.

 

 

“How is she?”

 

 

Kali spoke from somewhere to her right, “She’ll be fine, the bleeding stopped, but there will probably be scarring.”

 

 

Ghira walked over, lowering his voice.

 

 

“Hey there, Kitten. We'll have to talk about this when you're feeling better, but rest up for now.”

 

 

Blake blinked, she wasn't over there.

 

 

Wait.

 

 

Blake blinked again.

 

 

Why weren't her eyes being covered? She could feel her eyelids closing. Blake closed her eyes.

 

 

She could still see.

 

 

Looking down, Blake tried to frown down at the black plumage on her chest.

 

 

What the what?

 

 

Blake walked over to where her parents were, looking down at the couch.

 

 

Or rather, who was lying on the couch, head rested in Kali’s lap.

 

 

When Blake  _wasn't_  freaking out, she would notice how strange it was to look down at her own body, one ear wrapped in gauze, one of her mother's foul smelling poultice leaking through slightly.

 

 

Instead, Blake unleashed a series of worried croaks, beating her new wings as the rushed over to the mirror.

 

 

Yep. She was a bird.

 

 

Blake heard her father stand up, an annoyed sigh coming from his lips.

 

 

“Alright, shoo,” Blake felt her father's hands, good for helping her with large books or tucking her in at night, wrap around her roughly.

 

 

Then she was lying on the couch, her head in her mother's lap. Yes, the poultice did smell terrible, and yes it  _was_  keeping her from moving her ear.

 

 

Her father let out a very cat like hiss, and Blake heard the bird she had been fly across the room to land on the bookshelf she had started on.

 

 

“It bit me! The damn thing bit me!”

 

 

“Don’t suck on it dear, that isn't healthy. Come here, I’ll bandage it up.”

 

 

Blake heard her dad do so, and opened her eyes and sitting up.

 

 

Her father immediately pounced on her, pulling her into a giant bear hug which her mother joined in on.

 

 

“Mom? Dad?”

 

 

While it wasn't like there was a shortage of hugs in her family, neither of her parents had hugged her like this in a long time.

 

 

“Do you know how worried we were when Adam came home without you?” Ghira mumbled into hair, pressing a kiss at her hairline.

 

 

“I, we, we just wanted to help.”

 

 

“But that doesn't mean you should put yourselves in danger. We knew there was Dust on that ship. They were never going to sell it to us. Breaking in to prove it will just make it so they won't come back to sell us what they  _were_  willing to sell.”

 

 

“We made a mistake, didn't we?”

 

 

“Everyone makes mistake, Kitten. It’s part of growing up. We’ll have to work out a new deal with the SDC after this though.”

 

 

“But what about keeping the power on Menagerie running?”

 

 

“Luckily, we know where Jacques Schnee is going to be in a couple of days. We can meet him there, if we make sure people see us making the deal, we can make sure they don't go back on it later. We’ll need to pack, we'll go as a family.”

 

 

“Even Adam?”

 

 

Ghira chuckled, it was choked, and Blake realized her father was crying.

 

 

“How long were you awake for, Kitten? Yes, even Adam.”

 

 

Another croak.

 

 

Six eyes looked to where the raven was sitting, looking down at them.

 

 

Then it flew down, landing on Blake's shoulder and rubbing against her head.

 

 

“You want to come too?”

 

 

Yet another croak. Blake could tell it was an affirmative.

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

A series of croaks, many more than needed for the simple message he (and Blake knew it was a he) was trying to get across.

 

 

He was her partner, and he was going to protect her. Even if that meant he would have to claw out every set of eyes that so much as looked at her funny.

 

 

Blake smiled at him, “Thanks.”

 

 

He rubbed his head against hers again. Blake leaned into it.

 

 

“Looks like you made yourself a friend,” Blake’s mom said.

 

 

“Where did that bird come from, anyway? It was watching over you when we found you, and followed us in.”

 

 

“He helped me, he, uh, he clawed out the eyes of the man who caught me.”

 

 

A long awkward pause stretched out after that.

 

 

“Ok,” Ghira coughed, clearly uncomfortable about being in the same room as the bird that had proved himself willing to maim to protect Blake, “do, uh, do you have a name for your friend?”

 

 

Blake thought about it. Before the name came to her like a whisper.

 

 

Blake shared a look with him, and he nodded, like he knew what she would say.

 

 

“Lugh. His name is Lugh.”

 

 

Then she looked at her dad.

 

 

“Dad, you're still bleeding!”

 

 

“It isn’t that ba- that’s a lot of blood!”

 

 

Blake tried to hide her giggles as her dad danced in place and her mom rushed to make another poultice. Lugh made several croaks that made it clear to Blake  _he_  found her father's plight uproariously funny.

 

 

\---

 

 

“Are you sure you’re alright? Maybe you should stay home, I can stay with you.”

 

 

“I’m fine, Klein,” Winter sighed as her family boarded the airship.

 

 

The butler had been fussing over her since her (thankfully) brief trip to the hospital.

 

 

They had run every test possible on her, but they came back saying she was perfectly healthy.

 

 

One test, the one on her Aura, had come back different from the last time she had it done, but only that her Aura was unnaturally strong for her age. Nothing that accounted for the (so far) one off heart murmur that had sent her there in the first place.

 

 

She couldn't help but notice that none of her family except Weiss had come to visit while she was stuck there overnight.

 

 

Her father hadn’t even seemed to acknowledged that she had been in the hospital. And Whitley had only done so for one comment.

 

 

She missed Grandad, he would have dropped everything to visit with a ridiculous amount of balloons and toys to try to cheer her up. When he had died, it felt like the heart of the family died too. She didn't like being at home anymore.

 

 

That was part of the reason she refused to stay behind. She had a t-shirt and shorts hidden under all the dresses in her luggage, the festival would be the perfect time to slip away and be anyone else but Winter Schnee.

 

 

The minimum age to join the Atlasian military was seventeen. Then she could cut ties from her family (except Weiss) and be free from this.

 

 

The other reason was because she could tell that she  _needed_  to be there. She didn't know why, but something was calling her.

 

 

She meant that literally, by the way. She could  _literally_  hear something calling to her from whatever direction Vale was at any particular moment.

 

 

She hadn't told anyone, didn't want anyone thinking she was crazy, but was determined to get to the bottom of it. From what she could tell, there were two different whispers. One was completely incomprehensible and seemed to be made up of four voices at once. She could pick up fragments of the other.

 

 

_-alem -alem. Fin- Ra-._

 

 

It was annoying.

 

 

“If you're sure,” Klein finally relented, taking her bags and carrying them onto the ship. Winter watched her father talk with General Ironwood, then turned to follow Klein to her room.

 

 

Once she was there, she quickly changed, turned off the lights, then flopped down onto her bed and pulled the covers up.

 

 

She tried to ignore how quiet it was, the ship’s engine hardly making a sound as it lifted off to bring the Schnee family to Vale.

 

 

After checking to make sure the door was locked and that Weiss or Klein weren't going to burst into the room, she raised her hand.

 

 

Steadying her breathing, Winter focused.

 

 

If she had to explain it (which she had no intention to do for a long time) it was like a raging sea, resting right in the center of her chest.

 

 

Right where the pain had come from.

 

 

She forced the sea out of her chest and to the tips of her fingers.

 

 

It started with a spark, then another, then finally a low whine filled the air as Winter watched electricity leapt from finger to finger and formed great arcs.

 

 

Despite this, Winter was unsatisfied.

 

 

She should be able to do  _more_  than this, she could tell.

 

 

Winter tried pushing more of the energy through her fingers. The electrical currents got larger, but didn't change like she wanted.

 

 

Winter sighed, letting her hand drop.

 

 

She should be able to do more than this, she knew it in her bones.

 

 

As her eyes drifted shut, exhaustion taking her, she resolved to figure it out when she reached Vale.

 

 

\---

 

 

Jaune walked through the festival grounds, his new foam sword and axe in hand. He was following his gut, trying to find what was setting him off.

 

 

He tightened his grip, letting the hard plastic of the handles calm him.

 

 

That, at least, felt comfortable. Natural, even. Like he was born to hold weapons in his hand.

 

 

Which is good, because nothing else had felt natural since his fight with the Grimm.

 

 

His entire body ached, and the blinding headaches would occasionally flare out of nowhere. He had also been having strange dreams, of a brilliant sword and axe. He knew exactly what he would need to create them, but there would be something missing. He had spent hours last night drawing them to perfect detail. The pictures were in his pocket.

 

 

He was so busy picturing the weapons, he missed the girl across from him, who he promptly crashed into. Her chin crashed into his skull, and she fell to the ground, while Jaune blinked, slightly dazed.

 

 

Ow.

 

 

“Watch where you're going,” she hissed from the ground, rubbing her chin. Jaune focused on her, the headache receding completely for the first time.

 

 

She had long white hair and blue eyes, which were currently doing their best to burrow into Jaune’s skull. She was wearing a pair of cream shorts and a t-shirt with three howling Grimm on it.

 

 

Jaune reached down, helping her stand. It was easy, she was light. Everything felt light since his fight.

 

 

“Sorry? I was thinking about something.”

 

 

She hummed, a deep noise, before holding out an arm, “I might forgive you, if you'd be willing to show me around.”

 

 

“Uhhhh… Ok?”

 

 

Jaune moved the foam sword to his other hand, and took her arm, walking along the festival.

 

 

“My name is Jaune, what's yours?”

 

 

She stopped humming, and it was becoming more clear that it was a song, “Winter,” then she resumed humming.

 

 

They stopped to watch the fire eater. The man reached down, grabbed some fire Dust, and placed it into his mouth.

 

 

Leaning back, he breathed in through his nose, before spitting a ball of fire out of his mouth.

 

 

Jaune watched, impressed.

 

 

Winter scoffed, breaking from her humming, “He’s just using his Aura.”

 

 

“Aura?”

 

 

“You… don't know what Aura is?”

 

 

“No?”

 

 

“Aura is the power stored within all of us,” Winter lectured, sounding like she was regurgitating a lesson, “it allows us to fight level with Grimm.”

 

 

“Oh. Ok.”

 

 

What did it mean that he had been able to beat a Grimm without knowing what Aura was?

 

 

“How do you know this?”

 

 

“I want to be a Huntress, or join the Atlesian Military.”

 

 

Suddenly, Jaune’s sense screamed at him, and Winter’s humming abruptly stopped.

 

 

“L-L- Loud,” she stuttered, “Why is it so loud?”

 

 

She started to hum again. It was different from before, a low, slow noise.

 

 

Jaune whipped around, eyes scanning for the source of his distress.

 

 

He hadn't needed to.

 

 

Standing directly behind them was a tall, pale man. He had black hair, and was wearing equally black robes. He was too beautiful, like something hadn't gotten the memo that the human face was supposed to be flawed. He looked down at them, and Jaune got the feeling that he hadn't held any actual interest in the fire breather.

 

 

That he had been watching them.

 

 

Jaune tightened his grip in the weapons, trying to calm himself. It wasn't working. Every instinct, every iota of his being was screaming at him to run, that this man, this  _monster_  pretending to be human could kill them both in a single move.

 

 

“Hello,” he smiled with too perfect teeth. It wasn't a comforting thing, only highlighting that he wasn't natural, wasn't  _human_ , “How are you?”

 

 

“Good,” Jaune said warily, trying to push Winter behind him. She didn't budge, reaching over and grabbing his sword, “What do you want?”

 

 

“I can't enjoy the festival?” he joked.

 

 

Jaune’s lips rolled back into a snarl, and he could feel the haze just below the surface, ready to be tapped into at a moment’s notice.

 

 

Then the man waved a hand, and it was gone. Jaune noticed Winter staring at her hand in confusion.

 

 

“You remind me of some people I knew,” the man said, “I couldn't help but overhear your discussion. I would suggest against joining the military, it won't end well.”

 

 

“How do you know?” Winter demanded.

 

 

“I’m  _very_  good at predicting these things,” the man said, “There are better things you two could be doing with your time. Mastering your unique skills, for example.”

 

 

Winter looked taken aback, “How do you-?”

 

 

“A wizard has to keep his secrets,” the man said, “there will be some people coming soon, they're like you. They don't know me, or at least, one of them knows  _of_  me. Oh, here,” the man handed Jaune his drawings, how had he-? “now, I should get going. Good luck.”

 

 

The man span on the spot, walking away. A group of people walked between them, and suddenly he was gone. Jaune’s senses finally stopped screaming at him. Then they returned as a prickling as a trio around Jaune’s age walked over. One, the ginger haired girl, was sniffing the air.

 

 

Were these the people he had been talking about?

 

 

The girl wearing a black skirt and red hoodie, with a too large black cloak, was looking at them. With her pale skin, it looked like she could be the man’s daughter, though she, Jaune noticed as a comforting thought, certainly  _did_  have flaws.

 

 

“Uh… Hi?”

 

 

She looked over at them, confused, and Jaune realized she actually  _had_  been watching the show continuing on behind her.

 

 

“Hi?”

 

 

Well, he was too far gone now, might as well continue on.

 

 

“I’m Jaune, and this is Winter. Want to hang out?”

 

 

The other two seemed to look to her, she smiled, a much more human gesture than the one the man had.

 

 

“Sure! I’m Ruby, and this is Ren and Nora!”

 

 

Ok then.

 

 

Suddenly, a black bird landed between them, croaking loudly.

 

 

“What the-?”

 

 

“Lugh!” A black haired girl pushed her way through the crowd, “Lugh, don't run off like tha-” She stopped suddenly, eyes unfocused.

 

 

Ruby frowned, walking over and shaking the girl’s shoulder. Well, she certainly shared the man’s lack of respect for the personal space of people she had just met.

 

 

“Hey, are you alright?”

 

 

The girl snapped out of it, the bird landing on her shoulder.

 

 

“I’m, I’m fine,” she said, “I was just looking around, when Lugh flew off. I should go.”

 

 

“Are you sure? We’re looking around ourselves.”

 

 

“I’m su-” Lugh croaked, cutting her off, “are you sure?” another croak, “ok? I guess we are? I’m Blake, and this is Lugh.”

 

 

\---

 

 

Nora sat on the bench, hand clenching and unclenching. Each time she did, a glowing light appeared as she remembered what she had seen with perfect detail.

 

 

_Hooded men and women clashed with beasts that made the Grimm look tame, glowing blades blocked wicked talons. From their back flowed tendrils of light, and when one of the monsters touched the tendrils, the offending body part ceased to exist._

_Just like the fate the Nuckelavee’s hands had suffered at Ruby's bone wings. No fire, ash, they were just gone._

_As she walked through the battle, nobody seemed to pay attention to her. It was taking place at the foot of a mountain, the top of which disappeared into the clouds._

_Suddenly, a great light shone from one end of the battlefield, and Nora turned._

_Four figures, three men and one woman, stepped forward._

_One of them, clad in heavy armor, launched across the battlefield, spear clutched in one mail-clad hand. The man wearing golden armor called, reaching for his fellow._

_“Imperius!”_

_One of the creatures came to meet him, flames leaping from his jaws._

_From the other end of the field a similar cry rose._

_“Diablo!”_

_The man who had called for Imperius started to rise, his blue tendrils spreading like wings, only for the cord in the woman's hands to spring to life, wrapping around his leg._

_“Tyrael, go to the Worldstone! We’ll stop Imperius!”_

_Tyrael hovered, looking to the last member of the group.  The black clad man inclined his head, allowing Nora to see what was under it. Even now, it confused her._

_Nothing. The hood hovered over a void where his head should have been._

_**“Go,”**  the final man said with an echoing voice, deeper than even Tyrael’s._

_Then he rocketed away, flying to meet Imperius and Diablo, a pair of sickles appearing in his hands as he went._

_Tyrael hesitated for a second longer, before exploding into a cascading mass of light, talking Nora with him._

_They landed at the foot of a cave near the top of the mountain, and Nora followed Tyrael, who held his sword aloft, lighting the way._

_A song carried through the cave, growing louder the further they traveled. Finally, they stepped into the heart of the mountain, where the song was loudest._

_The monsters and whatever Tyrael was lay on the ground, dead._

_The source of the dead was clear, for they were standing in Tyrael and Nora’s way._

_The two that had immediately drawn Nora’s attention were the giant of a man holding a heavy sword in one hand with ease, and the man wearing a familiar black cloak._

_Ruby had said her cloak had belonged to someone else before her, and Nora had known, even before his name was said, that this impossibly beautiful man was Linarian. That he was Rathma._

_The next to catch her attention was the man holding Ruby’s knife._

_“Step aside, Nephalem,” Tyrael ordered, pointing his sword at Rathma, “or I will kill you.”_

_The giant laughed, a noise so deep it temporarily drowned out the music of the mountain._

_“My father spoke of you, Tyrael. Long have I wanted to test my blade against El'druin,” his eyes were locked upon Tyrael’s blade, “He said that it could cut through anything.”_

_“It can, Nephalem,” El’druin started to glow, another song coming from the blade, “Do not force me to prove it.”_

_The giant brought his other hand to grab a second blade, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face._

_“I am Bul-Kathos, son of Raquel. I swore on my honor and the blood of my people to guard the Worldstone. I will not let you pass.”_

_Bul-Kathos tore across the space, blades clashing with El’druin._

_Nora mentally fast forwarded through the fight. Tyrael amused Bul-Kathos for about five minutes, before unleashing the true strength of El’druin, shattering both the blades and impaling the giant in one move._

_Tyrael flew passed the rest, who rushed to stabilize their fallen comrade, and Nora followed him._

_They walked up the staircase, leading to the top of the mountain. There, another one of Tyrael’s people was fighting a bald man._

_The bald man was on the defensive, pressed against the giant eye shaped stone. Suddenly, something happened, and the situation reversed._

_The winged man’s weapons shattered in a second, and the bald man threw out his hand, a golden ball slamming into the other, and unfolded into glowing chains._

_The bald man stepped forward, golden tendrils appearing behind him. Reaching down, he grabbed the chained man’s wings, and pulled. After a second, in which Tyrael took a step back, raising a hand like he was trying to block the scene in front of them, the wings fell. The tendrils raised up, batting away the hood and caressing the space where his head should be. Where his head was appearing._

_Then the bald man launched himself into an air. Throwing out his arms more light lashed out, forcing Tyrael to his knees._

_A look of horror came across the bald man's face, and he lowered himself to the ground. He walked towards the Worldstone, planting his hands on it._

_Tyrael took a step forward, raising a hand to stop him, before arcs of light flying through the air, striking the bald man._

_The man gritted his teeth, sliding to his knees, opening his mouth to scream as golden light shone out of it._

_Then he was gone. No clothing, no body, the only sign he had ever been there was the chains still binding the formerly winged man._

 

 

“Nora!”

 

 

Nora snapped back to reality, where Ruby was holding out an ice cream cone.

 

 

“I didn't know what type of ice cream you liked, so I got another of my favorite.”

 

 

“Thanks,” Nora said, taking the ice cream, standing up to join the rest of the large group.

 

 

As they did, Nora took another sniff.

 

 

Ever since they blacked out, Ruby and Ren had smelled different.

 

 

Not  _bad_ , just different. They smelled nice, actually.

 

 

Ruby smelled like roses, while Ren had smelled like lilacs. Nora had asked Ruby about it, only to get a strange look.

 

 

The fact that nobody else smelled like it, and the fact that it never went away, no matter how many times they had gotten ready for bed (which was always prefaced with a shower), had led Nora to writing it off as her imagination.

 

 

Until today.

 

 

Jaune, Blake and Winter all carried their own distinct scents. Jaune smelt like smoke, Blake like the sea, and Winter like the air after a thunderstorm.

 

 

They were nice, if a bit weird. Winter was constantly humming, jumping between five songs seemingly at random, and Blake kept arguing with Lugh. That had spiraled into an argument with Jaune, where he had kept insisting that people couldn't talk to birds, and Blake kept insisting that she could understand Lugh perfectly. It had ended with Winter explaining Semblance to him.

 

 

Ruby had just smiled and laughed. Nora guessed that compared to controlling bones and causing curses, talking to an animal wasn't that weird.

 

 

She could imagine staying friends with them.

 

 

Nora brought the ice cream up, licking it.

 

 

Strawberry. Of course. Ruby  _loved_  strawberries, even more than she did cookies.

 

 

As they arrived, Winter pulled a Scroll out of one of her pockets. She had her own Scroll?

 

 

“Hello? I’m walking around the fair. Yes. Yes. Fine. I’ll see you there, Klein,” Winter sighed, putting the Scroll away, “I have to go. Can- can I give you my number?” Winter sounded hopefully.

 

 

Ruby smiled, “Of course!”

 

 

Winter pulled out a pen, writing her number down along with her name on three pieces of paper. Then she rushed off, looking disappointed.

 

 

“I hope we get to meet her again,” Ruby said, putting the scrap of paper in her pocket, “she looks lonely-”

 

 

She stopped as Blake suddenly spat out mouthful of the soft drink she had been drinking, staring at the piece of paper.

 

 

“That was-? We were-? She was-?” in between each question, Lugh croaked, apparently answering the questions.

 

 

“What?” Ruby pulled out her piece of paper, “Winter Schnee?” Ruby’s voice squeaked at the end, “we were hanging out with Winter Schnee?”

 

 

“She didn't say anything about me being a Faunus,” Blake muttered.

 

 

“Uhhh, whose Winter Schnee?”

 

 

Everyone looked at Jaune.

 

 

“What? I don't know!”


	4. Chapter 4

Jaune breathed in, pulling back the bow string. He ignored Orlena, who was trying to give him advice he didn't need. 

 

He understood what the man at the festival eight months ago had meant when he had talked about unique abilities.

 

Jaune let the arrow fly, watching as it struck true. Then he reached back, grabbing the next arrow and nocking it. As he drew the bowstring back, Orlena said something.

 

“So, how's your girlfriend?”

 

Jaune went bug eyed, and the bowstring slipped from his grasp, the arrow impacting the tree the target was on, “W-what!?”

 

“That white haired girl you talk to on the CCT every couple of weeks.”

 

“Winter isn't- she's not my girlfriend!” Jaune babbled, “I talk to other people on the CCT!”

 

‘Really helping your case,’ the part of Jaune that remained rational snarked.

 

“But you talk to her more often.”

 

“That doesn't mean she’s my girlfriend!”

 

Orlena laughed, ruffling his hair, “I’m just teasing you, little bro. You’re too young to have a girlfriend.”

 

Jaune fired another arrow, grumbling under his breath about stupid older sisters doing stupid older sister things all the while. 

 

“Ok, serious talk, who is she?”

 

“Mhm?” Jaune shot another arrow.

 

“I mean, you’re always really excited to talk with her, and every time you do, you come home and want to practice with a new weapon type.”

 

“Is there something wrong with that?”

 

The only problem Jaune had with it was that while he quickly mastered the basics of each weapon, none of them felt right.

 

He knew exactly what weapons [I]would[/I] feel natural, but he wasn't allowed near a forge to make them. Winter had hopefully dealt with that.

 

“Not really, just wondering why.”

 

“I want to be a Huntsman.”

 

Jaune jumped as a crash came from behind him. Turning, and lowering the bow, he looked at his eldest sister in confusion.

 

Jennifer Arc had gone bug-eyed, dropped the plate in her hands. Her hand gravitated downward, touching the metal brace around her leg. Jaune didn't know why she used it, she didn't need it.

 

“Jenny?” Oriana had turned, cocking her head to the side, “what’s wrong?”

 

“Why would you want to do that?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Why would you want to be a Huntsman?” Jenny asked again, focusing on Jaune, “That’s a very dangerous job.”

 

No duh. It was a job that involved fighting dangerous monsters for little personal glory and rewards.

 

He wasn't sure why the glory part was important, but he knew it was.

 

“I know. I still want to do it.”

 

Jennifer's mouth tightened, “No. You don't. You’ve never even seen a Grimm-”

 

“I killed one.”

 

“I’m not talking about one of your games. You're my little brother and I’m telling you, you don't want to-”

 

Jaune turned, firing another arrow and ignoring her.

 

As a hand landed on his shoulder, Jaune span, feeling the blood rage claw at his mind.

 

Pushing it down, Jaune batted away Jennifer's hand.

 

“Jaune-”

 

Jaune glowered at her, and both Jennifer and Oriana stopped.

 

Putting down the bow, Jaune shrugged off the empty quiver and walked inside.

 

\---

 

Blake was swimming through the sea around Menagerie. The salt water slipped across her leathery skin.

 

Suddenly, a set of jagged teeth bit into her. Blake opened her mouth to scream, and water poured into her mouth. She wouldn't have time to drown. She wouldn't have-

 

“Blake!”

 

Blake snapped her eyes open, pushing herself up and gasping for air.

 

Ruby was looking into her room, Ren and Nora behind her. Lugh was planted on the coffee table next to her, croaking up a storm.

 

What? What were they doing-?

 

Oh, right, she was staying at their house while her mom and dad were at a rally in Vale.

 

“What?” Blake croaked out, throat sore.

 

“You were screaming.”

 

She had?

 

Ruby turned, swiping a hand up. Some sort dust rushed from down the hall, and a small pouch on Ruby’s waist, before forming into a skeleton. The bone creation turned, walking down the hall and towards the kitchen.

 

Ruby looked back over, “What?”

 

Blake closed her jaw, which had fallen open at some point during the display, “Is that your Semblance?”

 

A person's Semblance was supposed to be a reflection of them, but for the life of her, Blake couldn't imagine how cheerful Ruby Rose could have such a morbid Semblance.

 

“No,” Ruby shook her head as the skeleton shambled past her and handed Blake a glass of water. Once she took it, the skeleton collapsed back into dust, some of it returning to Ruby’s pouch, and the rest dispersing, “anyone can learn to do it.”

 

Why would anyone want to?

 

“What are you all doing up?”

 

“We’re going on a walk. Want to come?”

 

“Sure,” Blake said, perhaps a bit too fast. Anything to get away from her dreams.

 

“We’ll let you get changed. Come on, Ren.”

 

“Wait, why me-”

 

Ruby and Nora grabbed Ren by his arms, frog marching the boy out of the house. 

 

Blake quickly changed out of her pajamas, before going to meet her friends. She stopped at the door, watching the sight before her.

 

Ruby was rolling on the ground, one hand on her inner thigh and tears in her eyes. Nora was trying to stop her as Ren sighed.

 

“Uhh…?”

 

Ren glanced over, before reaching down and kneading the spot Ruby was clutching.

 

“She tried to copy my stretches. It didn't end well.”

 

“I’m flexible,” Ruby protested, “Kalan’s teaching me!”

 

“When did he start that?”

 

“Last week,” Ruby said proudly.

 

“It’s going to take longer than that, I’ve been doing this for a year.”

 

“Oh,” Ruby deflated as Ren helped her up and handed her a backpack.

 

Blake followed slightly behind the trio, trusting them to guide her down the road and into Patch proper.

 

“Why were you stretching?”

 

“Huh? Oh, we normally train with Uncle Qrow on Saturdays. It’s a good idea to stretch before spending hours exercising.”

 

“Training?”

 

“We’re learning to fight. We’re gonna be Hunters!”

 

Blake looked around as they entered the town of Patch proper. The town seemed to just be waking up, signs flipping from open to closed, and birds chirping. It was idyllic. 

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“To the library, we have books to give back.”

 

The town was tiny, and appeared to be mostly made up of shops with apartments above them.

 

“Why’s it so small?”

 

“Most of this is for Signal,” Ruby pointed at pair of spires in the distance, “A lot of the students stay there during the school year.”

 

“Ah.”

 

They entered the center of town and quickly climbed the stairs into the small library. Lugh took off from Blake's shoulder, landing on the roof.

 

Pressed against one wall was a set of old CCT terminals and a staircase sat against the other. 

 

Seated at the desk was a short middle-aged man tapping away at his scroll. Looking up, a grin spread across his face.

 

“Little Ruby Rose, come to bring back those books?”

 

“Yep!” Ruby chirped, shrugging off her backpack and taking out a book on anatomy.

 

“It wasn't too much for you?”

 

“I know about skeletons. I just wanted to know more about the rest of the body.”

 

The librarian hummed, putting the book on a rack next to him, “Have you thought about reading up on Faunus biology? They can deviate heavily depending on the animal trait.”

 

Normally, Blake would argue against anything that splits human and Faunus, but he was right. Any Faunus that had eyes, ears, or appendages that weren't on humans [I]did[/I] have a different biology by necessity. Blake had six extra bones from her ears and Adam had two for his horns.

 

“Sure!”

 

The Librarian grabbed a book from the shelf  behind him, stamped the due date on the card, and waved them off.

 

Everything went fine until they got back to Ruby’s house. Walking in, she immediately noticed the almost heavy atmosphere. Qrow was seated at the table, a square bottle before him.

 

“Uncle Qrow, we’re supposed to be training today!”

 

“I… uh…” Qrow’s eyes flickered to the bottle, then Blake, “I don't think that’s going to happening today, Pip.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Blake heard the news playing in the living room, ears flicking to that direction.

 

“-doctors have confirmed that Chieftain Belladonna is likely to survive the attempt on his life.”

 

Blake walked in, looking over to where Tai’s eyes were glued to the Scroll. The bear of a man looked over, before whipping around, grabbing the remote and hitting the off button. 

 

He wasn't quick enough. 

 

Blake had time to watch as a man jumped onto the stage where her father was giving a speech, she had time to watch as the security grabbed him by the arms and led off stage, and she definitely had time to watch another woman jump on stage and pull a hunting pistol on her father. The last thing she saw before the screen flickered away was her father’s blue coat start to stain red.

 

Blake was aware of Lugh launching into another flurry of croaks, and Blake took what she considered the best route to take in this position. Aware of her body dropping behind her as her conscience fled it, Blake took to the sky, screaming.

 

\---

 

Winter sighed in relief when the call went through; Ren’s face was taking up half of the screen, and Jaune’s the other.

 

“Where’s Ruby?”

 

Ren looked to the side, before moving the camera in the same direction. Ruby sat with her head bowed, her fingers were running along a carved bone on a string.

 

“And Nora?”

 

“With Blake.”

 

If it was possible to share a look through a screen, Winter and Jaune had certainly pulled it off.

 

“How is she?”

 

“Not well,” Ren shook his head, “She passed out when we heard the news and hasn't woken up since.”

 

It had only been an hour after the first reports had come in, and Winter didn’t blame Blake. An awkward silence fell over the three. What did you say when you’re friend’s parent just survived an attempt on their life?

 

“It’s my birthday soon,” Winter offered weakly, “Father said I could fly you all over?”  

 

She hadn't meant for it to be a question, but somehow it came out as such.

 

“When?” Ren asked, looking relieved for the change of subject.

 

“In a month from now. We can train together then, Jaune.”

 

“Sounds good,” he said, “have you looked into-?”

 

“I have, they should arrive in a week.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Everyone grew quiet again.

 

“Your father can’t do anything, Winter?”

 

“He could,” Winter responded grimly, “but he won't.”

 

Ghira had been a thorn in the side of Winter’s father for years, so it hadn't surprised her that he had given a slight smile at the news.

 

Jaune sighed, rubbing his forehead, “They said he’ll be fine, right? Maybe we’re just overreacting?”

 

“But this is sure to rile up the more extreme elements of the White Fang.”

 

The sound of something striking glass came from the speakers, and Ren looked to the side.

 

“Give me a second,” Ren stood up, walking away from terminal.

 

Winter heard the noise of something being moved, followed by Ren climbing on something and the window being opened. Ren returned to the chair, Lugh perched on his arm. If the sharp talons wrapped around his forearm was making him uncomfortable, he certainly wasn't showing it.

 

“I should probably bring Lugh to Blake soon,” he said, running his other hand down Lugh’s feathers, “it might help her if he’s nearby, even if she isn't awake. I heard that worked sometimes.”

 

Lugh crocked.

 

What to talk about? Something banal, to take away the tension rapidly building up. She was the oldest, she should be the one keeping them busy.

 

Finally, Winter started to sing a quiet song, trying to calm everything.

 

She knew it would be in vain in the long run, but it helped for now.

 

\---

 

Ruby looked along the black void, feeling her feet impact on ground that didn't exist.

 

“Mendeln?”

 

After a brief moment, the master necromancer faded into existence, his weathered face instantly becoming drawn.

 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice not changing for its calm tone, “has something happened?”

 

“I,” Ruby realized that her voice was choked, “one of my friends, Blake, her parents are important to the faunus rights movement-”

 

“Faunus?” Mendeln’s voice took a curious lit, “what’s a faunus?”

 

Ruby paused, Mendeln didn't know what a faunus was? “They’re people on Remnant, they have animal traits. Like cat ears, or scales.”

 

“Truly?” Mendeln asked, and Ruby nodded, “[I]fascinating[/I]. Anyways, please continue.”

 

“So, they’re important to that, and there was a big rally today. During it, Blake’s dad got shot. And now I’m super conflicted, because I know that I’m supposed to be impar- impar-”

 

“Impartial,” Mendeln supplied.

 

“Yeah. But my friend is hurt, and I don't know what to do.”

 

“We are supposed to be impartial, Ruby. But we’re supposed to be impartial on a greater level than what you’re asking about. We aren't to take sides between the Burning Hells and High Heavens, but I don't expect you to be impartial about something like this. [I]Nobody[/I] should expect you to do such. A leader being assassinated could lead to an imbalance, allowing our enemies in. A leader who survives doesn't do that.”

 

“Then what do I do? I don't- I don't have anything to fix this.”

 

“You could.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I’ve seen that you advance in leaps and bounds with bone, but you haven't done much with flesh.”

 

“So?”

 

“We can manipulate flesh, Ruby. Most of our kind use it to create golems, as you have but it can be used for so much more. We can heal, if the need arises.”

 

“But I don't know how to do that.”

 

“I can teach you. It will be painful, you [I]will[/I] hate it, but you can learn it quickly.”

 

“How?”

 

“Hand me your dagger,” Ruby did so, “watch carefully.”

 

Mendeln slammed the dagger into his good arm, yanking the blade up until it hit the elbow, and removed it. Lifting his arm, he tugged at the flap of skin, “watch carefully. Watch the mana.”

 

Before Ruby’s eyes, the flesh healed, first in sinewy, mana filled tendrils that bridged the gap, slowly pulling the two sides together. Then the muscle sealed itself shut, followed by the skin. All that remained was a thin pink line.

 

“Did you get that?”

 

“I… I kinda did. But what if I get it wrong? I’ve seen how a blood golem can be messed up.”

 

“That’s where things get harder,” Mendeln said, “it takes a while to learn this, but we can do it.”

 

“How?”

 

“This place,” Mendeln gestured with the knife, “is on the brink between life and death. Your body is in in a trance at the moment. We can stretch that moment out… but it will come at a cost. The soul isn't supposed to be here for long. You’ll learn, but you’ll leave this place weaker, and you won’t be able return for at least a few weeks.”

 

“But I’ll be able to heal.”

 

“You will. Which brings us the second part. The easiest way to learn is for you to perform it upon yourself… which means you’ll need to be hurt.”

 

Ruby looked at the blood stained knife, “...do it.”

 

“Are you su-”

 

“Do it.”

 

“Nobody will hold it against you,” Mendeln said, “Nobody will ever know.”

 

“Do it.”

 

“If you need me to stop, I wi-”

 

“[I]Do it[/I].”

 

Ruby didn't have time to blink, to react, as the knife danced in Mendeln’s hand, tearing into the skin of her cheek.

 

\---

 

Tai waited at the terminal, sighing tiredly as he waited for the call to go through. He had delayed this call as long as he felt comfortable, given the circumstances.

 

“Vale General Hospital, how can I help?”

 

“Can you put Kali Belladonna on the call?” Tai saw Lugh’s head snap in his direction, “Tell her it’s Taiyang Xiao Long.”

 

“One moment,” the receptionist put him on hold.

 

Tai drummed his hands on the side of the terminal, still trying to figure out how he was supposed to-

 

Lugh took off from his place on the counter, landing next to him on the chair. His head tilting to the side as Kali appeared on the screen. Her hair was frazzled, and the clothing she had been wearing on the news had been changed.

 

“Hello, Tai,” she sounded exhausted, “do you need something?”

 

“I wanted to make sure Ghira was alright.”

 

“He’s fine,” Kali said, glaring at something to the side, “it’s keeping him in bed long  enough for the wound to start healing that’s going to be the problem. He’s already split the stitching [I]twice[/I].”

 

“It hasn't even been a day yet,” Tai said, aware that Lugh had taken off again, flying towards the guest bedroom.

 

“I know!” Kali said, “I’m worried I’m going to get back, and he’ll have split them again. Can I talk to Blake?”

 

“Er…” Crap, “About tha-”

 

“Mom?”

 

Tai’s head snapped to the side so fast, he heard his neck crack. Blake was standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes as Lugh’s legs latched onto her shoulder.

 

“Blake!” Tai jumped up, “your mom was just asking to see you.”

 

Holy crap, that had been a bullet dodged… ok, he definitely could have phrased that better.

 

Blake came over, sitting down, “how’s dad?”

 

“Good… Well, as good as he can be, given the circumstances. You and your friends can come see him soon, if you want.”

 

“Yeah,” Blake said, “yeah...”

 

“Tai? Are you still there?”

 

“Yeah,” Tai leaned down, “do you want me to bring her down?”

 

“When you get a chance.”

 

“The next ferry leaves…” Tai looked at the clock, “at four. We have a little over an hour to get there.”

 

“Ok. Blake, do you mind going and getting ready? I still need to talk about something with Taiyang… Qrow too, if he’s there.”

 

“I’ll message him,” Tai pulled out his scroll and sending a message off, “Blake, can you go tell the rest to get ready?”

 

“Yeah,” Blake walked away, and Qrow walked in.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Kali looked around, “Qrow, you’re friends with Ozpin, right?”

 

“Kinda, why?”

 

“I…” Kali nibbled her lip, looking around like she expected someone to appear suddenly, “I need you to tell him to come here. Him and Ghira used to be friends, but Ghira didn't feel he was doing enough to support Vale’s faunus, and now…”

 

“You’re hoping that they’ll make up?”

 

“Yes… and no,” Kali looked around, “that round, it was a driller.”

 

“[I]Shit[/I],” Qrow breathed, “seriously?”

 

Aura piercing rounds had been invented during the Great War, and ‘drillers’, so named due to their resemblance to a drill bit, had remained a popular choice among Huntsmen who primarily went against bandit tribes. They were, however, illegal to carry in Vale, with a mandatory minimum sentence of six years if you were found with one. 

 

Tai saw Qrow rub his right wrist, right where he had taken one back during his time with the bandits. The radial fracture hadn’t healed correctly, and Qrow often complained about it in winter.

 

“Yes,” Kali said, “They asked us if we wanted it removed, after he’s had time to heal, of course. I’d like to ask Ozpin before-”

 

She was cut off as a crash came from the living room, alongside a yelp of pain and several yells of worry.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Ruby fell!”

 

“I’ll go look,” Tai pushed himself out of the chair, letting Qrow take his place, and went to the living room.

 

“Everything-” Tai watched Ruby let go of Ren and Nora’s hands, only for her legs to immediately crumple, causing Blake to catch her from behind, “what’s wrong?”

 

“Can’t feel my legs,” Ruby said, eyes unfocused, “should only be temporary.”

 

“That's,” Tai frowned, “I don't want to risk that, kiddo. I’ll grab your wheelchair, we’re going to the hospital anyways.”

 

\---

 

Yang sat in the chair, tapping her hands on either side of the base as she waited for the doctors to come back and tell them what was wrong with Ruby.

 

They had divided into two groups after reaching the hospital. The Xiao-Longs, Ren and Nora had started to push Ruby towards the emergency room, for lack of a better place, while Qrow brought Blake to her family.

 

That had been an hour ago. And they were still-

 

"Excuse me,” a nurse walked towards them, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and wearing blue scrubs, “are you the,” she checked the scroll nestled in her arm, “Xiao-Long family?”

 

“Yes,” Tai said, “Is Ruby-?”

 

“She’s fine,” the nurse said, “From what we can tell, this is something Aura based. Her notes says it’s normally quite powerful, is that correct?”

 

“Yes,” Tai nodded, “Why, is it not now?”

 

“It’s,” the nurse sighed, “It’s something better for the doctor to explain. Can you come with me?”

 

Yang stood with her father, only for the nurse to raise a hand, “This is something for your dad. Yo-"

 

“I’m coming,” Yang said, setting her jaw in place.

 

It didn't take long to reach the room. Ruby was, once again, glaring at her feat. Seated in a rolling chair next to a counter with a sink was the doctor, a woman with her blond hair pulled into a ponytail who looked up from the scroll hovering in front of her as the nurse knocked on the door and called, “Doctor Ziegler? I have Ms. Rose’s father.”

 

“Thank you, Aqua,” she said, “and this is…?”

 

“Yang,” the girl supplied.

 

“A pleasure,” she said, “but shouldn't you be waiting outside?”

 

“It's fine,” Tai said, before turning to Ruby, “How are you, Rosebud?”

 

“Fine,” Ruby said, poking her legs repeatedly, “still can't feel my legs.”

 

She was way, [i]way[/i] too calm about that.

 

“I don't think that counts as fine, Rosebud,” Tai responded, turning towards the the doctors, “What's going on?”

 

“Well,” she said, “You're lucky I was on call. Physically, there's nothing wrong with Ms. Rose. Aurally, however, well, I’ve never seen anything like it, not like this.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like,” Zeigler’s frown became tighter, “It’s similar to what we see in Huntsmen approaching the end of their life.”

 

“What!?” Yang looked to Ruby, who looked like she wasn't remotely worried that she was… what? Dying?”

 

“There's no need to worry,” she said, “as I said, she's fine physically. Minus, of course, her legs. Her Aura should make a recovery on its own, and well, she wasn't wrong when she insisted quite vehemently that her paralysis should be temporary. Give it a couple of days, bring her back if she hasn't recovered by then, but I don't think you should worry.”

 

“And her aura?” Tai asked.

 

“I’ll give you my card,” she said, “Make an appointment for a month from now, I’ll check her over then.”

 

\---

 

Blake followed Qrow through the hospital, eyes downcast. Her mind was a whirlwind, desperately trying to find something to cling to.

 

Flock of birds, squirrels... That was about it.

 

Blake gave a slight whimper, reaching up to rub her red eyes. Someone had tried to kill her dad.

 

Why? They just wanted to be free to do the same things as all the humans. How was that so bad that her dad deserved t-

 

“Hey,” Blake blinked through unshed tears at Qrow, who had turned and kneeled (was that a word?) down in front of her. He ran a hand through his hair, looking slightly uncomfortable, “Listen, Kid. Don't worry about your dad, okay? He’s fine, the docs say he should be up within a week and healthy in a bit over a month, okay?”

 

“But what if someone tries to hurt him again?” Blake asked, “Dad’s got tons of rallies to go to, he could get attacked at any of them!”

 

“We’re gonna make sure that doesn't happen,” Qrow said, “Oz has plenty of people he can grab to guard your dad who don't have any problems with guys and girls like you.”

 

Faunus. 

 

“I don't get it,” Blake said, eyes flickering up to meet Qrow's, “Why do people not like us?”

 

“People are scared of things they don't understand,” Qrow said, “It's just the way the world is."

 

“But we're not any different from them.”

 

“I know,” Qrow said, “and so do the others but there are a lot of di- idiots out there who don't want to look past a few differences.”

 

“Then why does Dad-?”

 

“Because your dad refuses to just lie down and accept the world for what it it,” Qrow said, reaching up and wiping the tears that had begun rolling down Blake's face, “That's just not the type of guy he is. That's why the idiots who thought shooting your dad would stop him are gonna be in for a rough surprise. He's too stubborn to let something as small as a bullet keep him down. Wanna see?”

 

Blake nodded, taking Qrow's offered hand and following him the rest of the way to her dad's room.

 

\---

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Good? Bad? Meh?


End file.
